Kuntha is a 61-year-old corn farmer from Cambodia. She lives in Kampong Cham Province with her elderly mother and her fourth sister, who works at a bank. She is the eldest of five siblings. While all of her younger siblings are married, she remains single. She enjoys listening to monks prayers and growing vegetables around her home in her free time. About 10 years ago, Kuntha noticed a small lump on the left side of the front of her neck. The lump gradually became larger over time. After evaluation at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she was diagnosed with a multinodular goiter affecting the left thyroid lobe. Although the lump is not painful, it has become more noticeable over the years, making her worried about her health and self-conscious about the appearance of her neck. She also fears that it may continue to grow if left untreated. Kuntha traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On July 13th, surgeons at Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), will remove the mass. Kuntha is contributing to her treatment, but needs help to raise an additional $294 to fund the procedure. She said, “I hope this surgery will remove the lump and give me peace of mind. I have worried about it for many years, and I am grateful for the chance to finally receive treatment.”

Fenet is eight-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She lives in a loving home with her parents and two brothers. She is supported by her father, who works for the government, and her mother, who was once a teacher but now devotes all her time to caring for their children. For the past seven years, Fenet has been fighting a difficult battle with chronic tonsillitis. This ongoing health struggle has made it very hard for her to enjoy her daily life and feel like a happy, active child. During an episode, Fenet experiences severe throat pain, low appetite, and exhausting fevers, leaving her without the energy she needs to play with friends or focus in school. She often misses class and is stressed about falling behind her classmates. Fenet was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Fenet, which is scheduled to take place on June 6th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Fenet of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. Fenet’s parents shared, “We hope to provide her with a healthy and completely uninterrupted childhood, where she can finally leave behind these years of chronic throat pain and sudden fevers.”

Rodas is a four-year-old girl from Ethiopia. She lives in a loving home with her older sister, her stay-at-home mother who cares for her daily, and her father, who works tirelessly as an electrician to provide for the family. Despite their strong bond and dedication, her condition creates a heavy, continuous strain on their household. Three years ago, Rodas started to experience snoring, mouth breathing, struggling to swallow, and loss of appetite. Nights are especially grueling. Her swollen tonsils make breathing and sleeping difficult, leaving her parents awake for hours trying to soothe her pain, bring down fevers, and administer medication. This ongoing health struggle deeply affects her day-to-day life. Frequent sickness forces her to miss school, making it hard to keep up with her classmates or enjoy regular childhood activities. Rodas was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Rodas, which is scheduled to take place on July 20th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils, hopefully relieving Rodas of her symptoms and helping her live more comfortably. "We just want these painful nights to end. We want our little girl to sleep peacefully, play with her friends, and grow up healthy. Healing her will bring our family the peace we so desperately need," said Rodas's parents.