Ly Chheng is a 77-year-old man from Cambodia. He lives in Phnom Penh with his wife and their third child, who works as a tailor. He has six children in total, all of whom are married and have their own jobs. He is no longer working, and in his free time, he enjoys planting vegetables around his home. Ly Chheng has severe cervical spinal stenosis, a condition in which narrowing of the spinal canal puts pressure on the spinal cord. He has experienced intermittent numbness and weakness in his hands and extremities for approximately four to five years, with his symptoms becoming progressively worse since early 2026. He now experiences numbness and weakness in both hands, hand clumsiness, difficulty walking steadily, and frequent urges to urinate. He also has neck stiffness and pain that can extend toward his shoulders. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for him to move around safely and manage his daily activities independently. Ly Chheng's family was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), to seek specialized care. On August 17th, surgeons at CSC plan to perform cervical spine decompression to relieve pressure on his spinal cord and help prevent further deterioration. The surgery costs $1,500, and his family can contribute $50, but they need help covering the remaining $1,450. After surgery, he hopes to have less numbness and weakness, walk more steadily, and become more independent in his daily activities. Ly Chheng said, “I hope the treatment will relieve the pressure on my spinal cord, improve the numbness and weakness in my hands, and help me walk more steadily. I want to be more independent and able to manage my daily activities more comfortably.”

Som is a 58-year-old homemaker from Cambodia. She lives in Kampong Thom Province with her husband and her second child, who is a rice farmer. She has four married children who live nearby with their own families. She enjoys going to the pagoda and listening to monks pray in her free time. About two months ago, Som noticed a lump on the left side of her neck. Although it was not painful, it gradually became more noticeable and caused a feeling of fullness, especially when swallowing. Som visited our medical partner's care center, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), where she was diagnosed with a left cystic thyroid goiter. The lump causes discomfort and tightness in her neck when swallowing, making her anxious about her health and concerned that it may continue to grow. On July 15th, surgeons will remove the mass. Som's family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $244 more to fund her procedure and care. Som said, “I have been worried since I noticed the lump on my neck. I hope after the surgery, I will feel comfortable again and no longer be concerned every time I swallow.”

Lucy is 45 years old and a mother of two from Malawi. She sells second-hand clothes to support her husband, who is a mechanic. Eight months ago, Lucy started to experience heavy bleeding that was associated with weakness and dizziness. She has been diagnosed with uterine fibroids and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,363 to fund Lucy's surgery. On July 1st, she will undergo gynecological surgery at our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Lucy will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. Lucy shared, "I am very worried, as my condition makes me very weak day by day; your support will be very appreciated as it will save my life from danger."