Ye Min is a 19-year-old young man from Burma. He lives with his parents, younger brother, and a younger sister. His father is unemployed due to a previous accident. His mother works as an agricultural day laborer, while his brother looks after their neighbor’s cows, and his sister helps with household chores. Ye Min is unemployed. Their family’s combined monthly income is not enough to cover their daily expenses, and with Ye Min’s medical condition, the family is now indebted to neighbours and friends for loans they've received to help them finance medical and living expenses. Ye Min was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Heart valves control the flow of blood between chambers, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backwards. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, Ye Min experiences significant limitations in his energy and physical capacity. He often has to rest after walking for not more than five minutes. His condition has prevented him from working, and he feels stressed about his health. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help fund a heart valve replacement for Ye Min. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 27th at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital. Once completed, Ye Min will hopefully live more comfortably. Ye Min said, “Without surgery, I will not live longer, and now I cannot walk far or work due to my fatigue, which makes me sad.” His mother said, “I leave my son’s life in your hands. I believe that he would have died in Burma if we had not come here to receive surgery with the help of your organization. When I came here, I felt like half of my burden had been lifted when I saw that your staff were kind and caring. I would like to thank you very much ahead of time for being willing to help us.”

Kanhchana is an eight-year-old Grade 4 student from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family. Her father is a rice farmer, while her mother works in a garment factory. She enjoys mathematics at school and likes playing with toys alongside her cousins. Her favorite meal is fried pork with ginger. When Kanhchana was three years old, she suffered a hot-water burn to her left hand. After being treated at a private clinic, the burn healed with scarring that caused her fingers to contract. She later had contracture release and skin grafting, but tightness remains between several fingers, particularly between the third and fourth fingers. Burn scars have caused contractures affecting the second through fifth fingers of her left hand. The tight webspace between her middle and ring fingers limits how comfortably she can use her hand. Her mother is also concerned that her daughter may become self-conscious about the appearance of her hand as she gets older. When Kanhchana's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to loosen the tight area between her third and fourth fingers, helping her use and move her left hand more comfortably. Now, she needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Kanhchana's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help improve my daughter’s hand and make it easier for her to use her fingers. I also worry that she may feel shy about her hand as she grows older, so I hope the treatment will help her feel more comfortable and confident.”

Adson is 74 years old and lives in a village in rural Lilongwe, Malawi. He is married, and all seven of his children are grown and living with their own families. At home, he lives with his wife and two grandchildren, relying on small-scale farming to feed them. Three months ago, Adson was involved in an accident at home. While moving around his yard, he stepped onto a sharp stick used to tie a goat, and it pierced through the flesh of his right foot. As he tried to free himself, fragments of the stick remained in the wound, leaving him in severe pain. He sought care and underwent a debridement procedure to remove damaged tissue, but the injury has taken time to heal. He has been attending follow-up clinics, and recently, doctors advised that he needs skin graft surgery to properly close the wound and restore function to his foot. Without this procedure, healing may remain slow and incomplete, making it difficult for him to walk and continue his daily activities. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Adson receive treatment. On May 6th, he will undergo a skin graft procedure to aid in the healing of his foot, so he can walk again. Adson is contributing to his treatment but needs to raise an additional $295 to fund the procedure. He says: "My wish is for my foot to heal, so I can walk again and continue looking after my home. I have tried what I can, but I do not have enough. I am asking for help so that I can get this treatment and be well again.”