Nem is a 28-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He is married with two children: a son in Grade 1 and a two-year-old daughter. In his free time, Nem enjoys playing volleyball and listening to music. When he was five, Nem had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in his left ear to perforate. As a result, Nem experiences hearing loss in his left ear as well as pain, discharge, and tinnitus (ringing in the ear). Difficulty hearing things clearly impacts his daily life, and as a rice farmer, he hopes to finally improve his hearing so he can manage his daily activities and work more comfortably. Fortunately, Nem was able to travel to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On October 22nd, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. Nem contributed $75 toward his care and needs help raising $288 more. The total cost of his procedure includes his medications, supplies, and inpatient care. Nem said, “I’ve had ear problems since I was a child, and my left ear still doesn’t hear well. I hope the surgery will help me hear more clearly so I can work on my farm and enjoy everyday life with my family. I’m grateful for this opportunity to receive treatment.”

Paw is a 23-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband and son in a refugee camp in Sob Moei District, Mae Hong, Thailand. Her husband is a day labourer outside of the camp. She is a homemaker and primarily cares for her son at home. Her husband's income is just enough to cover their daily expenses, and they receive free basic healthcare in the camp. Paw is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Paw undergo a C-Section on August 11th. This procedure will cost $1500, and Paw needs your support. Paw said, "In the future, I hope to work outside of the camp like my husband when my children are older, with the support of my parents-in-law, who have offered to help care for my children."

Kuon is a 68-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. She lives in Battambang with her elderly husband and grandchildren. She has three children: her oldest child works as a car repairer, her second child works for a private company, and her youngest child is a taxi driver. She spends much of her time caring for her grandchildren. She also enjoys visiting the pagoda. Kuon developed a non-healing ulcer on her right cheek after suffering a burn while cooking. The wound remained open for about one year and was later diagnosed as invasive basal cell carcinoma. The ulcer has not healed and has a small area of dead tissue along its edge. Although it is not painful when touched, having a persistent lesion on her cheek affects her comfort and confidence in daily life. When Kuon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 10th, surgeons at CSC will perform a removal of the basal cell carcinoma from her right cheek, followed by reconstruction with a rhomboid flap to remove the cancerous lesion and reconstruct the affected area, helping the wound heal and restoring the appearance and function of her cheek. Her family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $616 more to fund her procedure and care. Kuon said, “I hope the surgery will remove the ulcer on my cheek and help the area heal properly. I am looking forward to recovering and returning to my usual daily activities with more confidence.”