Thoeun is 75 years old and a loving grandmother from Cambodia. She plants rice and sells traditional Khmer desserts in her free time. She is married and has two sons, two daughters, and seven grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys attending ceremonies and visiting the pagoda. Five years ago, Thoeun developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, wind, or dust and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Thoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On October 15th, Thoeun will undergo surgery to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. Her family can contribute $25, but needs help raising $273 more to fund her procedure and care. Thoeun shared, "I hope that after the surgery, the irritation and tearing in my eyes will stop and my vision will improve. I would like to go back and sell Khmer desserts."

50-year-old Snollah is a small-scale businesswoman who sells tomatoes in her neighborhood in Malawi. Together, she and her husband have three children, the youngest of whom is still in school. Snollah's husband is a quantity surveyor who is currently unable to work, due to a diagnosis of prostate cancer, for which he is receiving treatment. For about three years now, Snollah has been experiencing backaches, lower abdominal pains and a lack of appetite. At first, she was treated for epigastric pain, but when that didn't work, she returned to the hospital, where scans revealed several large, uterine fibroids. Because of the size of these tumors, they are considered to be potentially dangerous, as they can cause pressure on other organs. She was informed that she would need to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $1,363 to fund Snollah's surgery, which is scheduled to take place on June 8th, at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Once recovered, Snollah will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain, and to continue to support her husband. She says, "I experience fullness in my belly which is very uncomfortable. Your support will provide comfort and help me be a supportive mother."

Win is a 43-year-old man from Burma. He is married and has four children. His wife sells fruits and vegetables at a morning market. Win worked as a factory worker outside Bangkok, Thailand, but he had to stop working one month ago due to his medical condition. Win was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Win is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on September 21st at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital, to correct his heart condition and improve his quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help fund Win's procedure and care. Win said, “For my whole life, I felt I was healthy. I did not believe it when I was told the diagnosis. I am looking forward to receiving the surgery so I can return to work soon. My children rely on me for their school fees. Even though we are in debt, I do not want them to know and worry. Without your help, I would not have the chance to receive this expensive surgery. Thank you for supporting us.”