La Min is a 21-year-old young woman from Burma. She lives with her aunt in Bangkok, Thailand. She moved to Bangkok from her village in Karen State, Burma, in 2023 in search of better job opportunities. She worked as a waitress, but had to stop because of her health. La Min has a heart condition that requires replacement of two heart valves -the aortic and mitral valves - and repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, La Min experiences fatigue and a rapid heartbeat while walking even short distances, poor appetite, and chest pain. Even though she has lived with her condition almost all her life, she still experiences anxiety and stress during her episodes. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this complex surgery. The treatment is scheduled to take place on April 10th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and have a more active and healthy life ahead. In the future, La Min hopes to continue to work in Bangkok and save enough money to return to her village in Burma. There she dreams of opening a restaurant and selling Thai food. She said, “When I lie down at night, I hear my rapid heartbeat and have trouble falling asleep. When I am very tired and experience heart palpitations, I worry that my heartbeat will stop suddenly. I want to know what the world is like without my heart disease.”

Mateo is a toddler from Bolivia. He is his parents' first child. He lives with his mom, who is a homemaker, and his dad, who works distributing soda. When he was born prematurely at 30 weeks, Mateo had to be in an incubator where doctors detected his heart condition. Mateo has a cardiac condition called tetralogy of Fallot (ToF), a combination of four heart conditions, including a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart, as well as a blockage that affects how blood flows out of the heart. As a result, Mateo does not get enough oxygen, leaving him weak and short of breath. On May 6th, he will undergo cardiac surgery at our medical partner's care center, Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. During surgery, doctors will close the hole in his heart and remove the blockage so that blood can flow more normally. Mateo's family needs help to fund the costs of cardiac care and surgery. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, requests $1,500 to cover the cost of cardiac exams and diagnostics, surgical costs, follow-up care, and medications. Mateo's mother shared, "I'm grateful my child is going to receive his surgery so he can grow and be a healthy boy."

Bros is a 57-year-old man from Cambodia. He grows rice and other crops for a living. He is married and has two daughters. He lives with his wife, who is also a farmer, and his two children, who are students. In his free time, Bros enjoys going for walks around his fields to check on his rice and crops. About six months ago, Bros developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When Bros learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On July 2nd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Bros said, "I hope that after my cataract surgery, my eyesight will improve so that I can return to growing rice, vegetables, and other crops around my house. I also look forward to traveling to places farther away without having to worry about my eyesight anymore."