Visal is the oldest of three siblings. His father serves in the army, while his mother stays home to take care of the family. Visal dropped out of school in the 7th grade to help support his family. Now, he stays home, cares for his siblings, and grows vegetables for the family to eat and sell. Two weeks ago, Visal injured his left hand with a knife, making it difficult to fully extend his index, middle, and ring fingers. The injury has weakened his hand, preventing him from lifting or pushing objects backward due to limited extension at the wrist and fingers. Visal was referred to our medical partner, the Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), and traveled four hours to seek treatment. On June 7th, surgeons will repair the tear in his ruptured tendon to improve the function of his wrist and hand. Visal is able to contribute $100 but needs help to raise $472 more to fund the procedure and physiotherapy treatment he needs. Visal said: "I hope I can use my hand and fingers again to work and help my parents."

Reaksa is an 11-year-old fifth grader from Cambodia. She is the oldest of four children. Reaska's mother stays home to look after the children, while her father works for a local construction company. At school, Reaska enjoys learning Math and Khmer history. Reaksa wants to become a nurse when she's older. In her free time, she plays with her siblings and the other kids in the village. She also loves to draw. Reaksa has been experiencing frequent sore throats, difficulty swallowing, snoring and coughing at night, weight loss, and recurring fevers. These frequent illnesses have caused her to miss school. Reaksa was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Reaksa, which is scheduled to take place on March 18th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Reaksa of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. After undergoing surgery, Reaksa hopes to enjoy meals without discomfort and attend school regularly.

Daw Khin is a 64 year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband and her daughter in Yangon, Burma. She is a homemaker and her husband is retired. Daw Khin and her husband rely on their daughter for their daily needs. Daw Khin was born with a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosis (PDA). PDA is a persistent opening between two major blood vessels leading from the heart. When a baby is growing in the womb the opening is necessary to provide adequate blood and oxygen, but this typically closes after birth. When it remains open, it can weaken the heart and cause other complications. because of this condition, Daw Khin experiences shortness of breath, palpitations, and chest pain. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund a surgery that will close off the patent ductus arteriosis for Daw Khin. The treatment is scheduled to take place at Pun Hlaing Hospital on May 18th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Daw Khin said, “I am very thankful to BCMF for helping my surgery. I wish the operation would be successful and I want to recover soon. When I am healthy again, I would like to go to the monastery daily.”