No is a 62-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He is married and has four daughters, one son, and six grandchildren. His wife stays home to care for their household while No is farming. When he has free time, he enjoys watching the news on his phone. About two years ago, No developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him 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. No has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he cannot go places on his own. When No learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On October 22nd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, No will be able to see clearly. CSC is requesting $263 to fund his procedure. No shared: "I hope, after surgery, my eye can see better so I can go back to growing rice and plant some vegetables around my home."

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.”

Yemariam is a social and active 3-year-old from Ethiopia who loves playing with her friends and toys. Her mother works as a secretary at a government institution, and her father works as a driver for a private company. Since birth, Yemariam has had an umbilical hernia, a condition in which tissue pushes through a weakened area around the belly button. Her mother first noticed the swelling shortly after Yemariam was born. The doctors examined her condition and advised the family that she might need surgery in the future if the condition did not resolve on its own. As Yemariam grew older and started attending school, her parents became increasingly concerned about her condition and its impact on her physical and emotional well-being. Her parents searched for a way to get her the surgery she needed. They first took Yemariam to a private hospital. The cost of the procedure was too high, so they visited a nearby health center, where Yemariam was referred to a higher-level government hospital and was placed on a surgery waitlist for the next month. During this time, the hospital referred Yemariam to our medical partner's care center. When Yemariam and her mother arrived, her mother was concerned that her condition was too complicated and she would not be able to receive the treatment she needed. After an assessment, the medical team explained Yemariam's condition and informed her mother that she could undergo surgery. Fortunately, on September 30th, Yemariam will undergo hernia repair surgery. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $512 to fund Yemariam's procedure. Once completed, this surgery will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Yemariam's mother said, "Thank you so much to everyone who helped my daughter. I still can't believe it. I thank God for blessing you all. We had been waiting for four to five months, and now my daughter can receive the care she needed. Thank you so much to everyone and to all the Bethany Kids staff for your support and kindness."