Sokneang lives with her husband and her two children. Her husband is a construction worker, and her son and daughter both attend local schools. She works in the home, cleaning, and cooking, and in her free time she enjoys watching Khmer dramas. Since 2019, Sokneang has had discharge from a small hole in front of her ear, called a pre-auricular sinus. These are common congenital abnormalities adjacent to the external ear. However, this condition makes her prone to chronic ear infections. Germs can enter the ear canal and cause an infection, resulting in swelling, soreness, and redness. For the past three months, Sokneang has had ear pain and discharge on both sides. Medications from the local pharmacy haven't helped. Frequent infections prevent her from being able to care for her family. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. Sokneang and her family need $297 to cover the cost of the surgery, which will take place on February 20th. This will cover surgery, medications, and post-operative care. Sokneang says, "I hope that my ear will stop discharge, and I will not have any infections."

Oliver is a married mother of four children, all of whom are married with children except the last one who is still in school. She is a farmer together with her husband. Her second child, a daughter, has been there for her support throughout her illness. Oliver likes chatting with her daughter and enjoys eating nsima made from cassava maize flour served with fresh fish. Oliver was well until one year ago when she noted a small lump on her right breast that was not painful. She visited her nearest hospital where some pain medication was provided. She visited many other hospitals after noting that the growth was becoming bigger as time passed. At one of the hospitals, a diagnosis of suspected breast cancer was made before proceeding to Kamuzu Central Hospital for further assessments. At Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), different tests were done, and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma was made followed by four cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. Oliver was later scheduled for surgery on January 15th this year but unfortunately, she did not report back since she did not have the funds. On January 29th, Oliver went back to KCH where she was referred to our medical partner's care center Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) so that she can undergo surgery more urgently. Of late, Oliver has been experiencing needle pricking pains, and weakness affecting her farm work plus household chores as a mother. On January 30th, Oliver reported to PIH and met the surgeon who confirmed the need for a modified radical mastectomy. Modified radical mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast, including the nipple, areola, and skin plus most axillary lymph nodes. Oliver believes the surgical operation will help her get back home in a good condition and enable her to resume her farm work. Oliver said, “Kindly remove this breast for me to have my peace of mind after getting rid of these bad symptoms that I experience, I would rather be able to move on in my age.”

Jim is a 21-year-old student from Uganda, confident, outspoken, and sociable. His father is a businessman, and his mother is a farmer. Jim is the second born in a family of four children, with two brothers and one sister currently studying. He is on school break from Senior six and hopes for the best exam results. He previously attended a local college, where he studied math, economics, and entrepreneurship with hopes of becoming an accountant. However, he is concerned about his parents' ability to afford university fees. In his free time, Jim enjoys playing football. Jim presented with a swelling at the back of his neck, which he has had for four years. This swelling causes paralysis of the neck and discomfort and prevents him from turning his neck sideways. It has significantly impacted his quality of life, causing him to no longer enjoy life as he should. Jim had never seen a doctor, but when the symptoms became severe, he sought medical attention. Jim traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On February 8th, surgeons will remove the mass. Now, Jim needs help to raise $188 to fund this procedure. Jim says, “This swelling was never painful, but from the moment it started it feels very serious, and this makes me worried. I hope to get support and undergo my surgery. This will help me regain my future so as to continue studying in good health.”