Chanthy is a 34-year-old garment factory worker from Cambodia. He is married and lives in Phnom Penh with his wife, who also works in a garment factory, and their three children. Their children are in Grade 5, Grade 2, and preschool, and are cared for by their grandmother while both parents are at work. Despite his disability, he continues working hard to support his family. In his free time, he enjoys designing and tailoring new styles of clothing. Chanthy developed polio during childhood, which caused permanent damage to his left leg. Over the years, his left knee became permanently bent, and his left foot developed a severe deformity. The leg is now nonfunctional, so he has chosen amputation to prepare for a prosthetic leg that will give him a better chance of walking independently again. The condition has greatly limited his mobility and independence. He relies on crutches to move around because his left leg is no longer functional, making it difficult to stand, walk long distances, continue working comfortably, and care for his family. Every day tasks require extra effort, and his quality of life has been significantly affected. Chanthy has been experiencing severe muscle wasting, weakness, a fixed deformity of the left foot, difficulty walking, and limited mobility. His doctors recommend an amputation of his left leg (through-knee amputation) to prevent symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $588 to fund Chanthy's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Chanthy said, “I hope this surgery will allow me to receive a prosthetic leg so I can walk more easily without relying on crutches. I want to become more independent, continue working, and improve my quality of life.”

Seav Y is a four-year-old girl from Cambodia. She is a cheerful kindergarten student from Kompong Cham Province. She lives with her parents and two siblings. Her father is a math teacher, and her mother sells fish at a local market. She is the youngest child in the family, with an older brother in Grade 6 and an older sister in Grade 3. She enjoys writing and reading Khmer at school. In her free time, she loves playing with her toys. Her favorite meals are soups, especially those with plenty of vegetables, and she dreams of becoming a teacher when she grows up. One year ago, Seav Y had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the eardrum. For this reason, Seav Y experiences left ear pain, intermittent ear discharge with a foul smell, and hearing loss. This condition makes it difficult for her to hear clearly, which can affect her learning and communication. The ongoing pain and discharge also cause discomfort and may prevent her from fully enjoying school and playtime like other children. Seav Y traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On April 21st, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $477 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Seav Y's mother said, “I hope she can receive proper treatment so she can be free from pain and discomfort, and live happily like other children.”

Matiyas is a two-year-old boy from Ethiopia. His mother is a homemaker who looks after Matiyas and his younger sister, while his father is a taxi driver. Since birth, he has been fighting a severe, ongoing battle with chronic tonsillitis, a condition that deeply impacts his daily life and overall well-being. His struggle is at its worst during the night. Because his tonsils are constantly swollen, he faces significant airway blockage that makes it nearly impossible for him to breathe through his nose while he sleeps. Instead of resting peacefully, he spends his nights gasping for air and struggling to catch his breath, leaving both him and his parents exhausted and worried. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Matiyas, which is scheduled to take place on May 23rd. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Matiyas of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Matiyas's parents shared, "Our deepest hope is for our little boy to finally breathe easily, sleep peacefully through the night, and wake up refreshed instead of gasping for air."