Ton is a 75-year-old retired rice farmer. She and her elderly husband live in Kampong Thom province, about two and a half hours from the capital of Phnom Penh. Ton has a large family - one son, three daughters, and 12 grandchildren. She lives with her third daughter, who works as a tailor, and enjoys cooking for the family while also helping to care for her grandchildren. At home, Ton enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio, and visiting the local pagoda when she can. Several years ago, Ton developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Ton finds it frustrating that she cannot be as independent as she used to be, and spends a lot of time at home alone. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Ton learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On August 5th, doctors will perform phacoemulsification cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Ton and her family are able to contribute $100 towards the cost of her treatment and need help raising $153 more to fund the procedure. Ton says: "I hope that after my surgery, I will be able to see better, enjoy being outdoors, and take care of myself."

Sovann is a seven-year-old student from Cambodia. He lives with his parents in Sihanoukville province, near the sea. His father is a taxi driver and his mother is a housewife. Currently in second grade, Sovann dreams of becoming a teacher when he grows up. He loves eating rice with vegetable soup and watching cartoons on his mom's phone. Sovann has clubfoot on his left foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Sovann and his family traveled three hours to visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). There, surgeons will perform a tenotomy and casting procedure on October 9th. Sovann's family was able to contribute $100 towards his medical care but needs help raising the remaining $344. After treatment, he will be able to walk more comfortably and with better alignment. Sovann's father said, "I hope that Sovann will be able to walk more easily, and have improved development as he grows."

Eight-year-old Mi lives with her mother, younger brother, and younger sister in Shan State in Burma. Because Mi's parents are divorced, the family survives on income generated from the sale of the vegetables that Mi's mother grows on her land. When this income proves insufficient for the family's needs, Mi's mother borrows money from a friend. When Mi was two years old, she developed a fever, difficulty breathing, and a swollen neck. Her mother took her to a local hospital, where the doctor examined her neck, and suggested that Mi's mother take her to Chiang Rai Hospital in Thailand. At the hospital, various tests were performed, and doctors found a cyst in Mi's neck. The cyst was removed, and for a while, Mi felt better. However, the cyst returned in December 2023. As a result of her parent's divorce, the family moved away from the facility where she had been receiving treatment, and Mi had to live with the pain from the new cyst until she was able to meet with doctors from our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF). Now Mi is scheduled for mass excision surgery on September 19th, at our medical partner's care center, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, and the family is looking for help to raise $1,500 for Mi's procedure. Mi's mother said: “I feel very sad and worried about my daughter’s condition. I cannot sleep due to stress and depression because I couldn’t afford to cover my daughter’s treatment. I want to see my daughter recover quickly. When I learned that donors would pay for my daughter’s surgery treatment, I felt very happy. Thank you to all donors and BCMF. When my daughter recovers fully, I will work hard so I can put her to school."