Vannareach is a five-year-old kindergarten student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and his three-year-old little sister in Kampong Chhnang. Both of his parents serve in the military and are often stationed at the border, so the children stay with their elderly grandmother while their parents are away. He enjoys studying math and playing with toys along with his younger sister. For the past two years, Vannareach has been experiencing difficulty breathing and swallowing. He also snores at night and experiences recurrent throat infections about twice a month. His frequent throat infections and enlarged tonsils affect his sleep, breathing, swallowing, and overall comfort. Getting sick so often can also interfere with his ability to attend school and enjoy his usual activities. Vannareach was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Vannareach, which is scheduled to take place on August 14th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Vannareach of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Vannareach's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help my son breathe and swallow more comfortably, sleep better at night, and reduce his frequent throat infections. I want him to feel healthier and return to school and his normal activities without getting sick so often.”

Akai is a four-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the third-born in a family of four children. Akai experiences misalignment of her legs, and due to financial challenges, she has not been able to receive treatment for her condition before. Akai's condition was not noticeable until she began walking. Her mother noticed her legs were bowed, which made it difficult for her to run and play comfortably, and has led to isolation from her peers. Her guardian shared that Akai is supposed to start school soon, but due to the stigmatization she has been facing, it might be difficult for her to do so until she receives treatment. Fortunately, Akai was able to connect with our medical partner's hospital for review and treatment. On May 21st, she will undergo surgery to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,224 to cover the cost of Akai's procedure and care. Akai's guardian said, "We will be grateful to see her walking like other children."

Salorn is 44 years old and a mother of two from Cambodia. Her husband is a construction worker. Their oldest child is married, and the youngest is in Grade 5. In her free time, she enjoys watching the news on her phone and doing household chores. In 2018, Salorn developed right calcaneum osteomyelitis, a condition where bacteria penetrate the bone tissue and bone marrow, often involving the surrounding soft tissues. She experiences constant pain, discharge, and difficulty walking, requiring a crutch to maintain balance. Her condition has limited her mobility and ability to work. She visited a hospital in Vietnam, where doctors recommended surgery, but she could not afford the cost. Salorn was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), where she underwent several surgeries in 2020. For a time, she was able to walk and move more comfortably again. However, a year ago, the pain returned, and her condition worsened. Again, Salorn traveled to CSC for four hours seeking treatment. On March 18th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to relieve pain, remove infected tissue, and restore her ability to walk and return to work. Now, Salorn needs help to fund this $412 procedure. Salorn said, “After the surgery, I truly hope that I can finally walk without pain again, regain my strength, and return to work so I can better support my family and give my youngest child a brighter future.”