Su is a 12-year-old girl from Burma. She lives with her older brother and parents in Karen State, Burma. Su is a student who aspires to become a doctor in the future. Su’s father is a store night security guard and her mother sells watermelons. Four years ago, Su's skin started looking pale and yellowish. She also began experiencing abdominal swelling. Su was diagnosed with thalassemia, a blood disorder that affects the oxygen carried by red blood cells. Physicians at Mae Sot General Hospital determined that Su should undergo a splenectomy, a procedure that helps manage thalassemia. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Mae Sot General Hospital on April 15th. Once completed, it will hopefully improve Su's quality of life. Su's mother said, "We are under stress that we are in debt as we have to travel and pay for Su's consultations. I hope that Su will get treatment and recover. I want her to become a doctor one day."

Ork is a 60-year-old retired construction worker. He is widowed with five children and one grandchild. Ork's four daughters are married and have moved out to surrounding villages. He currently lives with his son, daughter-in-law, and newborn grandchild. His son, a construction worker, shoulders the responsibility of providing for his family. Ork's daughter-in-law works in a nearby garment factory but is taking several months of leave to care for their newborn. Ork enjoys watching TV, listening to monks pray on the radio, and looking after his grandchild. Around ten years ago, Ork developed a cataract in his right eye, causing him to tear often and have blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. He has difficulty seeing things, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on his own. When Ork learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for one and a half hours seeking treatment. On March 11th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Ork said, “I hope after surgery I will be able to go to the pagoda by myself. I want to be able to do things on my own and help to take care of my family."

Brian is a teenager from Kenya. He is the third born in a family of seven children. He stopped going to school last year in March after he fell ill and currently stays at home mostly in pain. His mother is a subsistence farmer and his father works on construction sites to provide for the family. The family does not have a medical insurance coverage and cannot raise the required amount of money to pay for Brian's treatment. Brian has a painful swelling in a sensitive area which impacts his movement and his ability to engage in any physical activities. He has been to different hospitals without any improvement. Earlier this year, Brian was brought to BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital where he underwent tests and has been scheduled for an urgent surgery. Brian was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Brian has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and future fertility problems. Brian will be receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH) and is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on February 22nd. AMH is requesting $646 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Brian says, “I want the pain to go away so that I can go back to school.”