Troeng is a 64-year-old corn farmer from Cambodia. He lives in Kandal province with his wife, who is also a corn farmer. Together, they have six children and ten grandchildren. One of their daughters still lives at home and helps support the family by selling groceries at a market stall. In his free time, Troeng likes to spend time with his grandchildren and watch the news. Ten years ago, Troeng developed a pterygium in his left eye, causing him to experience 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, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. As a result of this condition, Troeng has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Troeng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for an hour seeking treatment. On May 29th, Troeng will undergo a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. The total cost of this procedure is $225, which covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Troeng contributed $100 to his care. Troeng shared, "After surgery, I hope my eye will be better so I won't worry about it anymore. I can go to work and see more clearly."

Neema is a 2-month-old baby girl from Tanzania. She is the firstborn child of her parents, who are still quite young themselves. Her mother is a homemaker, while her father is a farmer and livestock keeper. Whenever necessary, the young parents receive assistance from Neema’s grandfather, who steps in to help due to their relative youth and inexperience. Neema has clubfoot of both feet. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Neema and her parents traveled to visit our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH), and she is scheduled to begin clubfoot treatment on August 11th. AMH is requesting $935 to fund Neema's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to achieve independent and comfortable mobility when she grows older, allowing her to wear regular footwear. Furthermore, successfully implementing this treatment plan will alleviate the concerns and anxieties of her parents regarding her future. Neema’s mother says: “I wish my daughter to have normal legs. I am hoping this treatment will be fast and go on smoothly.”

David is a 17-year-old from Kenya. He is the oldest child of six, and his parents work on their neighbors' farms to provide income for the family's basic needs. Their home was constructed by volunteers and their church. David's family shared that they do not have national health insurance coverage and are requesting assistance for David's medical care. A few months after David was born, he started experiencing fevers and an increasing head circumference. David's family brought him to different hospitals for treatment, but his symptoms did not improve. When David was three, he was referred to our medical partner's hospital, where he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and underwent shunt insertion surgery. Hydrocephalus is a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Everything was stable following David's surgery until last month when David began experiencing signs of shunt failure. David's doctor recommends EVT/CPC surgery to address the shunt failure as soon as possible. On March 16th, David will undergo surgery to drain the excess fluid from his brain and reduce intracranial pressure. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $720 to cover the surgery cost. With proper treatment, David can continue to develop into a strong, healthy young man. David's father said: "I do not feel well when he is not in good health because it makes it hard for us to leave him with anyone for us to work and provide for the family."