Cheata is an 11-year-old Grade 6 student from Cambodia. She is the third of five children and lives with her parents, who are rice farmers. All of her siblings are still students. She enjoys mathematics at school, likes drawing pictures in her free time, and loves eating caramelized pork and eggs. Cheata has had a mass at the back of her right thigh for about three years. She has multiple osteochondromas, with bony growths around her right femur, including areas near the front-inner and back-outer parts of the lower thigh bone. The growths have gradually increased in size and cause mild pain and discomfort around her right knee. She sometimes feels a grinding or snapping sensation when squatting, which can make knee movement uncomfortable. Cheata traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) will remove the mass. Now, Cheata needs help to raise $344 to fund this procedure. Cheata's mother said, “I hope removing these growths will help my daughter feel less pain and move her right leg more comfortably. I am also relieved that she can receive treatment now, and I hope she will be able to squat, walk, and enjoy her daily activities without the discomfort she has been experiencing.”

Yemariam is a social and active 3-year-old from Ethiopia who loves playing with her friends and toys. Her mother works as a secretary at a government institution, and her father works as a driver for a private company. Since birth, Yemariam has had an umbilical hernia, a condition in which tissue pushes through a weakened area around the belly button. Her mother first noticed the swelling shortly after Yemariam was born. The doctors examined her condition and advised the family that she might need surgery in the future if the condition did not resolve on its own. As Yemariam grew older and started attending school, her parents became increasingly concerned about her condition and its impact on her physical and emotional well-being. Her parents searched for a way to get her the surgery she needed. They first took Yemariam to a private hospital. The cost of the procedure was too high, so they visited a nearby health center, where Yemariam was referred to a higher-level government hospital and was placed on a surgery waitlist for the next month. During this time, the hospital referred Yemariam to our medical partner's care center. When Yemariam and her mother arrived, her mother was concerned that her condition was too complicated and she would not be able to receive the treatment she needed. After an assessment, the medical team explained Yemariam's condition and informed her mother that she could undergo surgery. Fortunately, on September 30th, Yemariam will undergo hernia repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $512 to fund Yemariam's procedure. Once completed, this surgery will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Yemariam's mother said, "Thank you so much to everyone who helped my daughter. I still can't believe it. I thank God for blessing you all. We had been waiting for four to five months, and now my daughter can receive the care she needed. Thank you so much to everyone and to all the Bethany Kids staff for your support and kindness."

Yon is a 68-year-old construction worker from Cambodia. He lives with his wife, and they have a son, two daughters, and five grandchildren. In his free time, he likes to listen to the news and monks on his phone. About one year ago, Yon developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract clouds the eye's lens, like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing clearly, including colors and faces, and worries about falling when walking, so he cannot go places on his own. Yon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought treatment. On October 30th, doctors will perform phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Yon can contribute $25, but needs help raising $238 for his procedure and care. Yon shared, "I hope that after surgery, I can see clearly and go back to work. I hope I don't have to worry about my eye anymore."