Mey Ching is six years old and a first-grader from Cambodia. She is the youngest of three children and lives with her parents and siblings in Koh Kong. Her father is a fisherman, while her mother sells groceries. She enjoys reading and writing Khmer and playing hide-and-seek with her friends in the village. Her favorite foods are sour fish soup and fried vegetables. For the past three years, Mey Ching has been experiencing a persistent daily cough, episodes of fever and throat pain, frequent snoring at night, and difficulty swallowing. Her ongoing throat problems make swallowing uncomfortable and disturb her sleep because of frequent snoring. The recurring symptoms can also make it harder for her to feel comfortable and fully enjoy school and activities with her friends. Mey Ching was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Mey Ching, which is scheduled to take place on September 8th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Mey Ching of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Mey Ching's mother said, “I hope the surgery will help my daughter breathe, swallow, and sleep better. I want her to feel healthy and free from these ongoing throat problems.”

Sarom is a 52-year-old widow from Cambodia, who works as a rice and vegetable farm laborer in Kandal province. Her husband passed away six years ago, and she now lives alone. She has two sons and one daughter with no grandchildren; her oldest son works as a company laborer, while her other two children are still students. In her free time, she enjoys listening to monks chanting through her phone. Five years ago, Sarom developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. 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, wind or dust and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Sarom learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. Sarom needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $298. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for August 4th. Sarom says: "After a successful surgery, I look forward to my vision greatly improving, so I can easily return to work and no longer worry about my eyes."

Cloryn is a 43-year-old woman from the Philippines. She is a hardworking wife who contributes to her family's needs by working at a small shake store, while her husband works as a fisherman. She stays active through her work and household responsibilities, and enjoys watching videos on her cellphone during her free time. About three months ago, Cloryn began to experience troubling symptoms, including a lump on the base of her throat. She was diagnosed with a multinodular colloid goiter, which is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. She was advised that surgery would be needed, but financial limitations made it difficult for her to continue with the recommended follow-up care. Fortunately, our medical partner, World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP), is helping Cloryn receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on October 17th at Our Lady of Peace Hospital, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. A portion of the cost of her treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and WSFP is raising the remaining $935 to cover the cost of Cloryn's procedure and care. Cloryn says, "I am very grateful to the donor program which has been a great help to us. Thank you very much to WSFP and Our Lady of Peace Hospital."