Srey Nith is a 35-year-old woman from Cambodia. She lives with her husband, who works as a laborer. They have one son who is a kindergarten student and is cared for by her parents. She is the fourth of six siblings, and all of her siblings are married and live in nearby villages. In her free time, she cleans the yard and reads literature. Thirteen years ago, Srey Nith fell from a tree while picking fruit and injured her hip. She developed avascular necrosis of her right hip, a condition where the blood supply to the ball-shaped part of the thigh bone is disrupted, leading to bone death. She has undergone several surgeries, including a right hip replacement, but she continues to suffer from chronic infections in the hip prosthesis. She experiences pain and is unable to walk without support, and cannot sit comfortably for long periods. She now seeks further treatment to regain mobility and reduce pain. Srey Nith was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), by another hospital and traveled four hours to seek care. She will undergo surgery on January 23rd. She is able to contribute $12.50 toward the cost of treatment and needs help to raise $1,488 more. The costs include a special prosthesis, surgery, medications, post-operative care, and rehabilitation. Srey Nith said, “After the surgery, I want to be able to move and sit comfortably again so I can go back to my job and earn an income for my family.”

Mao is a 70-year-old rice farmer from Preah Vihear province in Cambodia. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio. Mao is married and has two sons and four grandchildren. Her husband and youngest son are in the military, and her oldest son is a rice farmer. About one year ago, Mao developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her to experience itchiness, tearing, and 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. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is unable to go places on her own. When Mao learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center (CSC), she traveled for 8 hours seeking treatment. On April 6th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Mao can contribute $25, but needs help raising $238 more to fund her procedure and care. Mao said, "I hope, after surgery, my eye can see clearly, I can come back to growing rice and doing housework well, and I won't worry about my eye anymore."

Loishorwa is a seven-year-old boy from Tanzania. He lives with his parents, who are livestock keepers, and he is the fourth child in a family of four. His daily life includes helping with light household tasks and caring for animals after school. He is currently in class one and enjoys being around other children. Loishorwa was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, affecting the alignment of his legs. Several factors could cause this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can be angled inwards or outwards, making it difficult to walk and may cause long-term joint damage. The condition causes discomfort when he walks or stands for long periods and makes physical activities more difficult. Although he is motivated to attend school and participate in play, his mobility limitations reduce his endurance and confidence. This surgery and recovery care will help ensure that Loishorwa can remain active in school. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $777 to fund treatment for Loishorwa. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 10th at our medical partner's care center, Kafika House. Treatment will hopefully restore Loishorwa's mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications. Loishorwa's father says, “He gets tired and complains of pain when walking to school, and he cannot move as freely as other children.”