Zin is a 17-year-old student who lives with her parents and older brother. She is in eighth grade but stopped her schooling six months ago due to her deteriorating health. Her father is a carpenter, and her mother is a homemaker. Her older brother works at a furniture factory. Zin enjoys dancing in her free time. In June 2022, Zin started to experience persistent coughing. She also occasionally felt tired, which worsened when she laid down. Due to this symptom, she had difficulty sleeping at night. She received medications at a clinic, but they only helped her temporarily. In April 2023, both of Zin's legs became swollen, so they sought medical care. The cardiologist performed an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and chest X-ray, and diagnosed Zin with mitral valve regurgitation and tricuspid valve regurgitation due to rheumatic heart disease. This means that the valves of her heart are not properly closing. On July 21st, doctors with our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) will perform heart surgery on Zin, replacing her mitral and tricuspid valves. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund the procedure. Her father shared, “I am thankful I got in contact with you. It is a blessing to receive help from you. I wish you the best. I am also happy for my daughter because she is so lucky to receive such support. It is impossible for us to pay for her treatment without your help.”

Mon is a 55-year-old vegetable seller from Phnom Penh province. She is a widow and has three sons, three daughters, and five grandchildren. Currently, she lives with her third son who is a barber in the local village. She picks lotus flowers and morning glory (water spinach) every morning in the small lake near her house. At home, she likes to watch Khmer drama on the TV. Five years ago, Mon developed a pterygium in her right eye,, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision from long-term exposure to hot, dry weather and dust. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. When Mon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one and a half hours seeking treatment. Mon needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for October 16th. Mon said, "I hope after surgery my eye can feel better and I won’t worry about it anymore. I can go back to selling and doing housework well."

Kiberian is a 3-year-old boy from Kajiado County who needs surgery to help him walk well. He comes from a large pastoralist family with many siblings. His father is a farmer/herder, while his mother takes care of their family and home. Kiberian was born with a deformity in his legs that has greatly affected his mobility. His knees bend inward, while his ankles remain apart. He cannot walk long distances and often falls while walking. Kiberian's father took him to a satellite clinic for treatment and the doctors recommend procedures that will reposition the femur and tibia of each leg into alignment. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) is requesting $1,224 to cover the cost of the surgery, scheduled for June 20th. This treatment will be impactful to Kiberian because he will be able to walk well, play with other children, and continue with his education. Kiberian’s father shared, “The joy of a father is to see his children growing well without any challenge or deformity and I would love to see my boy walking well.”