Phong is a lovely grandmother from Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. She is 77 years old and works as a street food vendor. She is a widow; her husband passed away six months ago due to liver disease. She has three sons, two daughters, and ten grandchildren. Currently, she lives with her third daughter, who works in a garment factory. In her free time, she enjoys visiting the pagoda. Five years ago, Phong developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her excessive tearing, irritation, and redness, which made her feel uncomfortable. 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 Phong learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. Phong needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. She is scheduled for surgery on May 4th. Phong can contribute $25, but needs help raising $273 more to fund her procedure and care. Phong said, "I hope that after surgery, my vision will improve so I can see clearly again, move around easily, and continue going out to sell food as before."

De Wai is a 55-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law. All of the family members are agricultural day laborers, since their lands were destroyed by a military air strike in February 2026. However, De Wai stopped working in November 2025 due to his heart condition. They do not receive an income from their labor, but the owner of the farm provides them with rice. For their daily expenses, they have borrowed money from the village head—a debt they will have to repay with interest. In his free time, De Wai does household chores. De Wai has been diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Heart valves control the flow of blood between chambers, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backwards. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, De Wai feels a little better since he has received medication from a doctor. However, he still experiences fatigue when he is active and walking, a loss of appetite, and sometimes he cannot sleep at night due to palpitations and chest pain. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to support a heart valve replacement for De Wai. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 29th at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital. Once completed, De Wail should be able to live more comfortably and begin again to contribute to his family's future. De Wai said, “I cannot work since November as I get tired easily, and I feel depressed and unhappy for my family as they have to face financial difficulties, and I have to suffer from these diseases. While I am undergoing treatment, I feel worried about my family who are in the village. I hope to recover soon, and I want to go back and help my family.”

Jimmy is a resilient husband from the Philippines. His children already have families of their own, and he does not rely on them financially. Instead, Jimmy and his wife depend mainly on his pension to meet their daily needs. He once worked abroad to sustain his family. However, due to physical pain and the effects of aging, he now hopes to undergo surgery so he can recover and return to work without worry. Four years ago, Jimmy developed an umbilical hernia. This hernia causes him pain on his side and after eating. It also gives him so much discomfort that he prefers not to move at times. Before his illness, Jimmy stayed active by playing basketball, but today he spends most of his time at home with his wife. His family encourages him to have the operation, so he no longer has to suffer. Fortunately, on April 17th, Jimmy will undergo a hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation is supporting a portion of the cost of Jimmy's treatment. Our medical partner is requesting the remaining $1,038 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. "I am very grateful for this surgery. I know that my discomfort will go away after the operation. I am quite optimistic about moving normally again," says Jimmy.