Rith is a 58-year-old chef from Cambodia. She enjoys looking after her grandchild and listening to the monks pray on the radio in her free time. One year ago, Rith developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her tearing, photophobia, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. When Rith learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled there seeking treatment. On December 11th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $211 procedure. "I hope that I will be able to see so I can help look after my grandchild again," Rith shared.

Naw Khu is a 18-month-old baby girl from Burma who lives with her parents and grandparents. Her mother wants her to become a medic when she grows older so that she could help people in her village. About a month ago, Naw Khu started to have difficulty passing urine. Her parents took her to a hospital where she had the catheter inserted. Since then she has been living with the catheter on because whenever the catheter was removed she had difficulty. The family arrived at our partner hospital last week and Naw Khu received an ultrasound. The result revealed mass-like object which is pressing onto her bladder. Doctors now want Naw Khu to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Naw Khu's CT scan and care, scheduled for December 9th. Naw Khu’s father said, “We do not have money and could not speak Burmese well, so it was very difficult for us to go Yangon. We were very sad because we don't have any money. I just cried. I want her to be healthy and I also want her to grow up healthy like other children.”

Tam is an 18-year-old student from Cambodia. He has seven brothers, four sisters, and enjoys reading books and helping his father with his work in his free time. When he was a child, Tam had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in both ears to perforate. For this reason, Tam experiences discharge, itchiness, hearing loss, and tinnitus. He is unable to hear clearly and does not communicate well with others. Tam traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On January 6th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in both ears. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforations. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $913 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. "I hope that after my surgery, my ear discharge will stop and I will be able to hear clearly again," Tam said.