Zaw, who is 29 years old, lives with his wife and extended family members in Karen State, Burma. He and his wife are currently unemployed, although Zaw hopes to work as a second-hand motorbike seller. Zaw has had an irregular heartbeat since he was 10 years old. Although he visited a local clinic as a child, he was never provided a definitive diagnosis. By January 2022, he began to experience fatigue. His back and neck were stiff, and he lost his appetite. He also had difficulty sleeping, experienced a persistent cough and body aches, and his lips turned blue. After multiple hospital visits, Zaw was told he had a heart condition that required surgery. Unable to afford surgery in Burma, Zaw sought affordable care at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Thailand. With the help of our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, he received a free echocardiogram, which revealed he had mitral valve regurgitation, atrial valve regurgitation, pulmonary valve regurgitation, and patent ductus arteriosus. He is now scheduled for a procedure at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital in Bangkok on April 18th to repair or replace three of his valves and address any other issues with his heart. Currently, Zaw continues to experience fatigue, thus he is unable to work. He experiences shortness of breath and a racing heartbeat, for which he requires oxygen therapy three times a day. He needs your help to raise the $1,500 to fund his life-changing surgery. Zaw said: “I want to be free from this disease as soon as possible. Thank you all for helping with my treatment cost.”

Samnang is a 23-year-old army trainee from Cambodia. He lives in Kandal province with his parents and younger sister. Before his injury, Samnang was in boot camp for the Cambodian army. On March 5th, Samnang was in a motor vehicle accident, resulting in the paralysis of his left hand. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can cause the loss of function and sensation. Currently, Samnang is unable to lift his arm and has had to pause his boot camp training as a result. Samnang traveled to Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, which is the only facility in the country where brachial plexus injury surgery is available. On April 27th, Samnang will undergo surgery. After he has recovered, he should regain the use of his arm and hand. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. Samnang shared: "I hope I can go back to normal life like before the accident."

Leng is a 45-year-old rice farmer from Kompong Cham province. He is married with one daughter and one grandchild. Both his wife and daughter also work in the rice fields. When free from work, he likes spending time with his family and watching the news. About six months ago, Leng developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him photophobia, tearing, and blurry vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, thus is unable to travel on his own. When Leng learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 27th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and implant an intraocular lens in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. He said, "I hope after surgery I can do my work more easily and recognize people."