Pon is a 61-year-old rice farmer from Prey Veng province in Cambodia. He is married with one son, one daughter and five grandchildren. He lives with his wife who is also a rice farmer. His daughter is a garment worker and his son is a construction worker. He likes to listen to the news and the monks praying on the radio. About two years ago, Pon 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 is not able to go places on his own. When Pon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On May 18th, 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. Now, he needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Pon said: "I hope that after surgery my eye can see better, so I can easily go back to growing rice, and venture outside well."

Sineth is a 13-year-old 8th grade student from Kampong Cham Province in Cambodia. She lives with her parents and younger sister, who is in Grade 4. Her parents are rice farmers and work hard to support their family. Sineth enjoys studying Khmer literature, which is her favorite subject at school, and hopes to become a doctor in the future. In her free time, she likes listening to music and chatting with her friends. Her favorite food is fried pork with ginger. Sineth has scoliosis, a condition in which the spine curves abnormally to one side, often resembling a "C" or "S" shape. Her spinal curve has gradually worsened over the past three years and is now approximately 50 degrees in the thoracolumbar region. Although she does not currently experience pain, the increasing curvature affects her posture and makes it difficult for her to sit comfortably for long periods. This can make it harder for her to stay comfortable and concentrate during class, and the curvature may continue to worsen as she grows. Sineth's family was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), by another hospital. They traveled approximately four hours from Kampong Cham to seek specialized care. On August 17th, surgeons at CSC plan to perform posterior spinal fusion to help straighten and stabilize her spine and prevent the curvature from worsening. She needs $1,500 in support to cover the cost of her surgery and related medical care. This treatment will help support her spinal health as she continues to grow and allow her to remain active and continue her education. Sineth's parents said, “We hope that this surgery will help straighten and stabilize our daughter’s spine and prevent her scoliosis from getting worse. We wish for her to grow well, stay active, and continue her studies and daily activities with confidence and comfort.”

Sarith is a 64-year-old construction worker from Kampong Thom province. He is married and has three sons and two daughters. In his free time, he likes to watch the news on this phone. About one year ago, Sarith developed a cataract in his right eye, causing his 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 her own. When Sarith learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 2nd, 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. He can contribute $15, but needs help raising $248 more to fund his procedure and care. Sarith said, "I hope after surgery, my eye can see clearly, I can go back to working, and I can recognize and go far well, and I won’t worry about my eyes anymore."