Sreang is a widowed, 69-year-old retired rice farmer. She is from Kandal province, and has two sons, two daughters, and twelve grandchildren. Sreang's husband passed away forty years ago and since then, she has worked hard to look after her family as a single mom. Currently, she lives with her youngest daughter, who sells vegetables in front of her home. In 2002, Sreang developed a pterygium in her left eye, which causes her blurry vision, itchiness, and tearing. 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. Sreang's visual impairments make it difficult for her to go about her life safely and independently. Sreang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought their help. Thanks to CSC, on January 5th, Sreang will undergo a surgical procedure at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the surface of her cornea, to be replaced with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. The total cost of her procedure - including medications, supplies and inpatient care - is $225, and Sreang is looking to you to help cover these costs. Sreang said: "I hope I will see again, and my eye will feel better."

Saw Kyaw is a 25-year-old man living in Thailand. He currently lives with his older sister, younger sister, mother and her niece. He moved from Burma to Thailand for job opportunities three years ago. He was working in a shop and was able to support two younger siblings who are studying in Karen State in Burma. Around the end of July, he was playing football with friends when he slipped trying to kick the ball. His lower right leg was very painful, but he was still able to bear weight lightly on that leg. At the time, Saw Kyaw didn’t have health insurance, so he went to a clinic instead of the hospital. There they examined his leg, gave him some medication for the pain and advised him to go to the hospital for an X-ray if the pain persisted. Saw Kyaw rested for two days and then went back to work. That day at work, Saw Kyaw was carrying a heavy load when he slipped again. This time, the pain was severe, and he was unable to stand on his right leg. He went to a hospital in Bangkok where they X-rayed his lower right leg and told him that the tibia was fractured. The doctor recommended surgery where they would use a metal rod to connect the bones and set them in the correct position to heal. Saw Kyaw was told that the surgery would cost between 40,000 to 50,000 baht (approx. 1,330- 1,660 USD). He told them that he did not have insurance and was unable to afford the surgery, so they gave him pain medication and bandaged up his leg. He returned to the hospital three times and each time the doctor recommended surgery, but Kyaw was unable to figure out how he could get that kind of money. His employer was not helpful and refused to assist with the cost of the surgery. Since Saw Kyaw didn’t have the money, he decided to just rest and see whether the bones would heal on their own. Saw Kyaw recalled that he had fractured his femur when he was young, and he had used a traditional medicated oil to help heal the injury. He hoped that he could use this on his new fracture. But now he cannot walk properly and cannot work since his accident. He is stressed about his condition and his future. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, Saw Kyaw will finally undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for December 7th and will cost $1,500. He will able to go back to work after surgery Saw Kyaw said, “I would like to go back to Bangkok and find work again so I can go back to helping my family; my siblings who are studying in Burma, and also my mother who is getting older. I also want to save some money for my future. I will not work at the same place though as they have not been kind or caring since I had the accident.”

SreyPich is an 11-year-old from Cambodia. Her parents work at a nearby construction site, and SreyPich helps care for her two younger siblings when she gets home from school. SreyPich is a bright student whose favorite subject is English. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her friends, and they are really good at jump-roping! For the last three years, SreyPich has been experiencing frequent nose and throat infections, congestion, coughing, and difficulty swallowing. She often feels unwell, and it can sometimes be uncomfortable to eat. SreyPich was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping her receive treatment. On January 5th, she will undergo a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. During these procedures, surgeons at CSC will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving SreyPich of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. CSC is requesting $265 to fund this surgery. SreyPich's family gathered $100 to contribute to her care. SreyPich said, "After the operation, I hope my throat will get better and I can eat and breathe easily."