Srey Touch is a 50-year-old mother of four from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, who lives with her husband, a fish farmer. They have four children: two work in factories, one works in Korea, and another is a waitress. In her free time, Srey Touch enjoys chatting with friends in her village and spending time with her family. About three years ago, Srey Touch slipped and fell in her backyard, causing a fracture of her right kneecap. After the injury, she sought treatment from a traditional Khmer healer, but the condition did not fully recover. Although she was initially able to walk with only mild discomfort, her knee pain has gradually worsened over time. She now experiences increasing pain and difficulty walking, which affects her mobility and makes daily activities more challenging. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On June 2nd, Srey Touch will undergo a fracture repair procedure. Surgeons will perform a partial patellectomy or tension band wiring to repair the fractured kneecap and improve knee function. This procedure is expected to reduce pain, improve walking ability, and help her regain greater independence in her daily activities. She can contribute $100, but needs help raising $500 more to fund her procedure and care. Srey Touch said, “I hope this surgery will relieve my knee pain and help me walk comfortably again so I can return to my normal daily activities.”

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.”

Mey Ching is six years old and a first-grader from Cambodia. She is the youngest of three children and lives with her parents and siblings in Koh Kong. Her father is a fisherman, while her mother sells groceries. She enjoys reading and writing Khmer and playing hide-and-seek with her friends in the village. Her favorite foods are sour fish soup and fried vegetables. For the past three years, Mey Ching has been experiencing a persistent daily cough, episodes of fever and throat pain, frequent snoring at night, and difficulty swallowing. Her ongoing throat problems make swallowing uncomfortable and disturb her sleep because of frequent snoring. The recurring symptoms can also make it harder for her to feel comfortable and fully enjoy school and activities with her friends. Mey Ching was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Mey Ching, which is scheduled to take place on September 8th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Mey Ching of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably. Mey Ching's mother said, “I hope the surgery will help my daughter breathe, swallow, and sleep better. I want her to feel healthy and free from these ongoing throat problems.”