Heak is 60 years old and a hardworking rice farmer from Cambodia. She lives with her niece, who is a Grade 12 student. She is the seventh of ten siblings, all of whom are married. Her parents passed away during the Khmer Rouge era. Despite many hardships in life, she continues to support herself through rice farming. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music and helping with household chores. In 2024, Heak was involved in an overturned car accident while traveling in Thailand, resulting in a severe fracture of her left femur near the knee. Although she underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture, the bone failed to heal properly and developed into a nonunion, causing ongoing pain in her left knee and leg. Heak experiences persistent pain and stiffness in her left knee, making it difficult to walk without support. The condition limits her independence, affects her ability to work in the rice fields, and makes everyday activities challenging. Fortunately, Heak learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and sought treatment. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total knee replacement to relieve Heak of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for June 1st. Heak can contribute $100, but needs help raising $1,213 more for her procedure and care. Heak said, “I hope this treatment will help me walk without support again and live without pain. Being able to move independently would mean so much to me and allow me to return to my normal life.”

Stanley is a 64-year-old father of four from Malawi. To provide income for his family, Stanley works as a car sales representative and at a local motorcycle shop, though he admits that his income is often insufficient to fully support them. For the past six months, Stanley has been experiencing abdominal swelling and discomfort. At first, the symptoms were subtle, but over the last two weeks they have become more severe, leaving him with increasing pain and difficulty in walking. This has made both work and home life very challenging. Stanley has been diagnosed with a bilateral inguinal hernia, a condition that occurs when abdominal tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles. Stanley needs a hernia repair procedure, but with his current income, he cannot afford the cost of surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Stanley undergo hernia repair surgery on April 20th. This procedure will cost $500, and Stanley needs your support to fund the procedure. Stanley said, “I am struggling with this condition, which has made my life very difficult. I wish to be able to work and provide for my family again, without pain. I truly hope I can receive support, because I cannot manage raising the funds on my own.”

Sakun is 85 years old and a mother of seven children from Cambodia. She lives in a small neighborhood in Takeo province with her third daughter, who works as a farmer. Her other children are married and live in nearby villages. Although her family lives close by, she relies heavily on her daughter for daily support, as she has no job and very limited financial resources. Despite these challenges, she finds peace in simple moments, especially when listening to monks' sermon in her free time. Sakun recently slipped and fell in her bedroom, resulting in a left femoral neck fracture on her hip. Since the injury, she has been in severe pain and is unable to walk, leaving her completely dependent on others for mobility and even basic daily activities. The sudden loss of independence has been both physically and emotionally difficult for her. Sakun was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for treatment. On March 18th, Sakun will undergo a hip hemiarthroplasty procedure, which will cost $712, covering both surgery and post-operative care. During the procedure, surgeons will operate on her left hip to stabilize the fracture, relieve her pain, and restore her ability to walk. This surgery offers her not only physical healing, but also the hope of regaining her independence, rebuilding her strength, and returning to her normal daily life with dignity and renewed hope. Sakun said, “After the surgery, I hope I can walk again without pain, regain my strength, and return to my daily life with independence and hope for the future.”