Almarie is a 42-year-old single mother of three from the Philippines. Almarie works hard to support her children. In the mornings, she works as a laundry woman and in the afternoons, she collects garbage in their community. Six months ago, Almarie began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal pain which radiates through her back and lasts the whole day. Even though she was in extreme pain, Almarie did not stop working. She reminded herself her children will not be able to go to school and eat if she does not work. Almarie has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, her symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), Almarie is scheduled to undergo surgery on August 17th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, but Almarie needs our help to raise $1,128 to cover the remaining cost of surgery and care. Almarie says, "I am very grateful to all of you. You will not only help me, but also my children because I only work and live for them. Thank you for giving me this chance to continue helping my children achieve their dreams. Thank you very much."

Thou Hek is a 76-year-old retired grandfather from Phnom Penh. He has three daughters and ten grandchildren. Thou Hek retired almost twenty years ago as an administrator for the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transportation. He lives with his wife and his oldest daughter, who sells second-hand clothes in the local market. He enjoys listening to the news on his phone and spending time with his family. About three months ago, Thou Hek developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. Thou Hek will undergo cataract surgery at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre on May 31st. Doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Thou Hek was able to contribute $50 towards his medical costs but needs help raising the remaining $203 for treatment. Thou Hek shared, "I hope I can see clearly again so I can start reading again, and not feel afraid when I go out."

Margaret is a 45-year-old single mother from Kenya. She has one child and is a farmer on her parents' land. Her father is sick and has been hospitalized, so she is taking care of him with the little she can manage. In 2019, Margaret began to experience troubling symptoms, including losing weight and difficulty swallowing. Her eyes appear to be bulging and she also developed a dry cough. Margaret went to the hospital and was diagnosed with thyrotoxicosis, a condition of having too much thyroid hormone in your body. She has been undergoing treatment since 2020. As Margaret was not seeing relief of her symptoms, she visited our medical partner's care center, Nazareth Hospital. There, she was diagnosed with thyroid hyperplasia, an increase in the size of the thyroid gland due to excessive growth of its cells. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Margaret receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on July 1st where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $633 and she needs help raising money. "I have been struggling for so long, especially with my self-image and I feel it is taking a toll on me. I am unable to raise money for my surgery and request to be assisted with the matter. I have an old sickly parent who depends on me financially and am not working. After the treatment, I believe I will manage to look for a job to sustain my family," Margaret said.