Hem is a 57-year-old rice farmer from Pailin Province in Cambodia. She is married and lives with her 64-year-old husband. They have four children. Her first and second children are rice farmers, her third child works for an organization, and her youngest child is a teacher. In her free time, she enjoys listening to monks praying and keeping up with the news. Hem has a herniated disc at the L4-L5 level of her lower spine, a condition in which a spinal disc presses on nearby nerves. She has experienced intermittent lower back pain for approximately three years, but about one month ago, the pain began radiating down the back of her left leg. She also experiences intermittent numbness in her left leg and weakness when extending her left toe. These symptoms have made walking and carrying out her daily activities as a farmer more difficult. Hem was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), by a relative. She traveled approximately seven hours from Pailin to seek specialized care. After evaluation, doctors recommended surgery to relieve the pressure on the affected nerves. Hem is scheduled to undergo laminectomy and decompression of the L4-L5 spine on August 17th. She has contributed $100 towards her treatment but needs an additional $1,400 in support to cover the cost of surgery and related care. The surgery aims to relieve pressure on the nerves and help reduce her back and leg symptoms, allowing her to walk more comfortably and return to farming and her normal daily activities. Hem said, “I hope that this surgery will relieve my back and leg pain, improve the numbness and weakness in my left leg, and help me walk more comfortably again. I wish to return to farming, and continue my normal daily activities.”

Kerson is a preschooler from Haiti. He lives with his father, who is a construction worker, and his mother, who is a waitress. He enjoys making art with crayons and singing. Kerson has a cardiac condition called a ventricular septal defect. A hole exists between the two lower chambers of his heart; blood leaks through this hole without passing through his lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. Kerson needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On July 2nd, he will undergo heart surgery, during which surgeons will sew a patch over the hole in his heart so blood can no longer leak through it. Another organization is funding his surgery; however, Kerson's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Kerson's family overseas. Kerson's mother shared, "Our family will be so happy and relieved once we know our son is safe!"

Mann Ya is a 14-year-old girl who lives with her parents and siblings in Battambang Province in Cambodia. Her father works as an army officer at the Thai border, while her mother manages the household. Mann Ya is the youngest of three children, and is currently in Grade 8. In February this year, Mann Ya was involved in a motorcycle traffic accident that caused fractures on her left leg. She underwent initial surgical treatment in Battambang Province, which included internal fixation of the left femur, and external fixation of the left tibia. Despite this treatment, she developed a persistent infected wound on her affected leg, which has failed to heal properly, and which remains open. This condition has significantly affected Mann Ya's daily life. She has difficulty walking, and has been unable to attend school regularly, which has disrupted her education and normal childhood activities. Mann Ya was later referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, for further management. She is now scheduled to undergo free flap surgery on June 17th at Kien Khlang National Rehabilitation Centre, to close the open wound, and to improve soft tissue coverage. The procedure will also help control infection, protect underlying structures, reduce complications, and promote optimal healing and functional recovery of the left leg. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is seeking $859 to fund Mann Ya's procedure, which should enable her to return to the life that she knew, prior to the accident. Mann Ya's mother said: “As a mother, I worry every day when I see my daughter struggling to walk and unable to attend school like other children. I hope this treatment will finally help her heal, so she can return to her studies, regain her independence, and look forward to a brighter future.”