Su is a 12-year-old boy from Burma who lives in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp with his family. Su had to discontinue his studies while in fourth-grade, and his family was forced to leave their home because of the conflict in Burma. Su’s grandparents are his primary caregivers as his parents divorced, got remarried and moved away. His half-brother, uncle, aunt, and infant cousin also live with the family. Su’s grandmother and aunt take care of their home, while his grandfather, uncle and half-brother work as day laborers. Su initially noticed signs of his condition in January, when he felt pain on the left side of his mouth, and had a slight swelling on the left side of his face. One month later, he was taken to the clinic by his aunt, where it was discovered that he had three cavities on the left side of his mouth. The doctors removed the decayed tooth on the top jaw but left the lower two as the swelling was significant. Su stayed in hospital for one week to recover, while receiving antibiotics. He was released from the clinic once the pain and swelling had decreased, but shortly after, the symptoms resurfaced, more intense than before. Presently, the left side of Su’s face is significantly swollen, and he feels acute pain. He has difficulty eating and can only chew from the right side of his mouth. He cannot lay down on the left side due to the swelling and pain, which gets worse at night. Su also feels pain in his neck when he drinks or swallows food. Su needs to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which X-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This will help doctors diagnose his condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Su's family is however unable to raise the required funds needed for the imaging procedure. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Su's CT scan and care, scheduled for March 25th. Su is keen to return to school when his condition is treated. He loves to paint and draw in his free time and would like to be an artist someday. Su's grandfather is worried about his condition, but hopeful about his future. He says, “Whatever he wants to do in his future, I will support him fully, as his parents are gone.”

Chantha is a retired merchant from Preah Vihear province in northern Cambodia. She is 64 years old with three children and five grandchildren. Her husband passed away recently so she moved in with her daughter, who sells clothes in the local market. At home, she likes to cook food for her grandchildren and listen to Buddhist radio. About one year ago, Chantha developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her 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. 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 Chantha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for seven hours seeking treatment. On April 18th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Chantha is able to contribute $75 but needs an additional $178 to fund this procedure. She shared, "After surgery, I hope I can see clearly and help more around the house and take care of my grandchildren."

Elizabeth, who is seven months old, lives with her parents and two older brothers in a small house in Haiti, that they share with other relatives. Both of her parents are farmers. Elizabeth has a cardiac condition called atrioventricular septal defect. A large hole exists in the center of her heart, which affects all four of the heart's chambers. Blood leaks through this hole without passing through her lungs to obtain oxygen, leaving Elizabeth weak and unable to gain weight. Elizabeth will fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. As she is too small and weak to undergo major surgery to completely correct her condition, on April 9th she will have a procedure, during which the doctors at Hospital CEDIMAT will implant a shunt, that will allow oxygenated blood to circulate through her body. This will stabilize Elizabeth's condition so that she can continue to grow and gain weight until she can more safely undergo a complete repair in several years. While another organization is contributing money to pay for Elizabeth's surgery, our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is seeking your help to fund the $1,500 needed to cover the costs of Elizabeth's pre and post-operative care and for the documents and travel costs for Elizabeth, her family, and the social workers that will accompany the family. Elizabeth's mother said: "Our daughter's heart condition has been very stressful for our family, and we are very thankful to know that there may be a way to solve it!"