May is a 59-year-old mother of four, living with her family in a refugee camp along the Thai-Burma border. While May and one of her daughters manage their household, her husband serves as a minister. Her two sons teach at a bible school within the camp. May began experiencing stomach pain and noticed an increase in the size of her abdomen. She has difficulty moving, sitting for long periods, walking, and sleeping. The doctors diagnosed May with a suspected malignant ovarian tumor and our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping her access treatment. She is scheduled to undergo mass removal surgery on March 6th at Mae Sot General Hospital. She is seeking $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. May said, “My condition means my children have to help me with my household and personal duties when my pain becomes too much. I want to go back to working with my husband in the church after my surgery if I am okay.”

Sa is a 43-year-old woman from Thailand who lives with her nephew in a village in Tak Province. She used to be a farmer but was forced to stop working last year due to her condition. For several months, Sa has been experiencing abdominal pain and massive bleeding. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy which involves the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Sa's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications. Fortunately, Sa is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on March 29th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, she will no longer be in pain and will be able to work on the farm again. Sa said, “I feel happy to receive the treatment through the support from BCMF and its donors. I hope that I will undergo the operation soon so that I can go back to work on the farm.”

Joselito, a 59-year-old father from the Philippines, works as a taxi driver and earns minimum wage. His income is insufficient to provide for his family of five, prompting him to take on extra jobs to make ends meet. Twenty years ago, Joselito began to experience troubling symptoms, including severe pain on the left side of his stomach, which radiated to his back. Initially, he tried drinking a lot of water to ease the pain, and it subsided. When he consulted with a doctor he was asked to take an ultrasound, but could not due to financial constraints. At the onset of an extremely painful episode, Joselito was rushed to a nearby hospital and was diagnosed with gallstones. He was advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. He was informed that if left untreated, his symptoms would continue to worsen and put him at risk of further health complications in the future. Unable to cover the cost of the necessary surgery, he was prescribed pain medication instead. Fortunately, Joselito then sought treatment through our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP). He is scheduled to undergo a cholecystectomy on March 27th. A portion of the cost of the procedure is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Jose is seeking support for the remaining $1,128. Joselito says, "Since I started to feel the symptoms attack more often, I had to reduce my work hours and this took a toll on the family's income and expenses. While my family worries about my health, I am worried that I will not be able to give them what they need because of my condition, so I deeply appreciate the assistance I am receiving for my medical care."