Siem is a 68-year-old retired rice farmer from Kandal province in Cambodia. She is married but has no children and lives with her husband, a vegetable farmer. She helps him sell their produce at the local market, and at home, she enjoys listening to the monks praying on the radio when she has free time. A year ago, Siem developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her blurry vision, photophobia and frequent hearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Siem learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On December 1st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Siem says, "I hope I can see things clearly again so I can travel easily on my own and help my husband with our vegetables."

Meet Tevy, a 13-year-old student from Cambodia. She is in eighth grade, and her favorite subject is math. She has a younger brother in fourth grade, and her family lives four hours outside of the capital city in a sparsely populated town. Her parents work in the local government. In the future, Tevy hopes to become a teacher. Until then, her favorite activities in her free time are watching TV and eating her mom's amazing chicken recipes! Tevy was born prematurely and diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age three. She has had some physiotherapy but is currently finding it more difficult to walk due to her knee flexion, thus impacting her mobility. She also experiences social anxiety in school and around her peers. She visited our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), where the surgeons determined that an osteotomy and patella advance in both legs will help her walk without needing support. This will include lengthening the muscles behind the knees (the hamstrings and calf muscles) through an injection of Botox into the spastic muscle, causing it to partially relax as she heals. CSC is requesting $485 for this procedure, which covers the surgery, hospitalization, and post-op physiotherapy costs. Tevy's family has gathered $100 to contribute to her care. Tevy's father shared: "We are worried my daughter will stop going to school even though she is good in school. I hope she can walk better than before and continue her studies."

Yoeun is a 69-year-old rice farmer. She has two younger sisters and is not married. Yoeun lives alone, but a niece lives close to her and supports her. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio or visiting family members. One year ago, Yoeun developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision and tearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Yoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On November 18th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help raising $253 to fund her procedure and care. Yoeun shared, "I hope after surgery I will see better and be more independent, so I can take care of myself and not rely on others."