Hem is a 57-year-old rice farmer from Pailin Province in Cambodia. She is married and lives with her 64-year-old husband. They have four children. Her first and second children are rice farmers, her third child works for an organization, and her youngest child is a teacher. In her free time, she enjoys listening to monks praying and keeping up with the news. Hem has a herniated disc at the L4-L5 level of her lower spine, a condition in which a spinal disc presses on nearby nerves. She has experienced intermittent lower back pain for approximately three years, but about one month ago, the pain began radiating down the back of her left leg. She also experiences intermittent numbness in her left leg and weakness when extending her left toe. These symptoms have made walking and carrying out her daily activities as a farmer more difficult. Hem was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), by a relative. She traveled approximately seven hours from Pailin to seek specialized care. After evaluation, doctors recommended surgery to relieve the pressure on the affected nerves. Hem is scheduled to undergo laminectomy and decompression of the L4-L5 spine on August 17th. She has contributed $100 towards her treatment but needs an additional $1,400 in support to cover the cost of surgery and related care. The surgery aims to relieve pressure on the nerves and help reduce her back and leg symptoms, allowing her to walk more comfortably and return to farming and her normal daily activities. Hem said, “I hope that this surgery will relieve my back and leg pain, improve the numbness and weakness in my left leg, and help me walk more comfortably again. I wish to return to farming, and continue my normal daily activities.”

Amala is a 19-year-old young man from Mali. He is a student and is his mother's first child. During his free time, he enjoys playing sports. Two days ago, Amala began to experience troubling symptoms, including abdominal pain and a fever. He was diagnosed with appendicitis and now needs surgery to prevent his condition from worsening. Our medical partner, Muso, is helping Amala receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix when it becomes infected, on October 31st. This procedure will cost $413, and Amala and his family need your support. Amala's mother shared, "We will be very happy to see him in good health after this procedure. Thank you for your support."

Bros is a 57-year-old man from Cambodia. He grows rice and other crops for a living. He is married and has two daughters. He lives with his wife, who is also a farmer, and his two children, who are students. In his free time, Bros enjoys going for walks around his fields to check on his rice and crops. About six months ago, Bros 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. When Bros learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On July 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. Now, he needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Bros said, "I hope that after my cataract surgery, my eyesight will improve so that I can return to growing rice, vegetables, and other crops around my house. I also look forward to traveling to places farther away without having to worry about my eyesight anymore."