Margaret is a shopkeeper and a single mother of three. Her kids are all adults. She used to work at a small shop selling exam papers. However, she has not been able to go to work since December because of her pain. She is currently at home without a source of income and does not have medical coverage. She lives in a three-room house which her family shares with her elderly mother. Margaret has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Without treatment, the cancer may spread to other organs. A mastectomy, a surgery to remove breast tissue, has been suggested to rid her body of breast cancer and to prevent the cancer from metastasizing. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1110 to cover the cost of a mastectomy for Margaret. The procedure is scheduled to take place on January 23rd. After treatment, Margaret will hopefully return to a cancer-free life. Margaret says, “I am currently experiencing a lot of pain. This condition has caused me not to be able to work at all. I need this surgery to stop the disease from spreading.”

Samnang is a two-year-old boy from Cambodia. He lives in Phnom Penh with his parents and his 3-year-old brother. His mother stays home to care for the children and his father is in the army. At home, Samnang likes to play with his toys and enjoys eating fried chicken prepared by his mother. At birth, Samnang was diagnosed with arthrogryposis, a term used to describe a variety of conditions involving multiple joint and muscle contractures or stiffness. As a result of this condition, Samnang has clubfoot on both feet. Clubfoot is a condition where the foot is rotated. This causes pain and difficulty walking. Samnang traveled for one and a half hours to visit our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). There, surgeons will perform a bilateral tendon release and insert a K-wire on March 1st. CSC is requesting $444 to fund Samnang's clubfoot repair. After treatment and therapy, he will be able to walk and be more active. Samnang's mother said, "I hope after surgery, my son will learn to walk, have no pain, and keep up with his older brother."

Sros is a thirty-two-year-old mother of two. Residing in tranquil Kampot province, Sros shares her life with her husband - a rice farmer - and their two children. Their 17-year-old son is working to become a monk, while their 13-year-old daughter studies in fifth grade. Sros is employed at a nearby garment factory, and when she returns home, she devotes much of her time to cooking meals for her family and maintaining a tidy home. Sros has an additional challenge of being hearing impaired and mute. In October 2023, during a rainstorm, she slipped in the mud and twisted her left leg enough to fracture her tibia and fibula - the bones in her lower leg. Financial limitations prevented the family from seeking help at the local clinic, so she sought help from a Khmer traditional healer, who applied a splint to her leg. Her pain still persists, rendering her unable to walk. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On January 4th, Sros will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will cost $483. This procedure will align her fractured bone into place for optimal healing so that she can walk again. Sros's husband said: "I hope the doctors can fix her leg so she can come home and not be in pain."