Ed is a 39-year-old father from Burma who lives with his wife and two sons. His sons are students, while his wife is a homemaker and volunteer at their church. In his spare time, Ed loves listening to gospel songs, reading the Bible, and preparing sermons for his congregation. In March 2023, Ed began passing blood in his urine and experiencing back pain in his left side. When medication from a pharmacy did not help, he sought treatment at a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a left ureter stone. Doctors want Ed to undergo Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), a procedure where high energy shock waves are passed through the body and used to break stones into pieces as small as grains of sand. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), can help. On August 11th, Ed will undergo ESWL at BCMF's care center. BCMF is requesting $1,125 to fund the treatment and Ed's care. Ed said, "Because of my condition, I have not gone to church for two weeks. The church members are worried about me and pray for me".

Sothany is a 23-year-old woman who lives with her mother and father in the Prey Veng province of Cambodia, where her parents are rice farmers. She has four brothers and four sisters. When Sothany was younger, her parents noticed that her spine was not straight; however, they could not afford proper healthcare for her. As she has grown up, she has had more noticeable changes, including uneven hips and shoulders, prominent ribs, and a shift of her waist and torso to the side. For the past few years, Sothany's disability has increasingly affected her breathing as her rib cage presses against the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe. Sothany is very self-conscious about her spinal deformity and limited mobility. As a result, she quit her job in a clothes factory and stays home with her mother. She makes homemade videos to sell lotions and creams on social media. Her parents first heard about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), in early 2020. However, they were unable to travel due to COVID pandemic travel restrictions. Today, Sothany's symptoms have greatly increased including muscle imbalance, pain, and difficulty breathing. Sothany and her parents traveled for two and a half hours to our medical partner to seek intervention for her disability. Sothany will undergo a posterior spinal fusion with implants at CSC's care center on August 1st. Sothany is contributing $100 to pay for her care, and CSC is requesting the remaining $1500 to fund the procedure. This will cover radiology, medications, surgery, and post-op physiotherapy care. Sothany said, "After surgery, I hope my spine will be straight. I want to walk with my friends and not have hard breathing, work to support myself, and not be ashamed of my back."

Chhem is a 57-year-old father from Cambodia. Chhem, his wife, and their children live in Prey Veng province. They have four children who still live at home - one daughter and three sons. Chhem is a vegetable seller, his wife is a homemaker, and the children attend school and help their father at the local market. At home, he likes to grow a few extra vegetables to supplement their family's diet. Chhem has been suffering from throat pain and swallowing difficulties for several years. A local hospital noted that he had small tumors on his tonsils and uvula. The tonsils are on either side of the throat at the back of the mouth, and the uvula is the small, finger-shaped piece of tissue that hangs down from the back of the throat. The tumors were biopsied, but there was no clear diagnosis. He went back to the local clinic when the pain got worse but could not afford the care. For the past three months, Chhem's pain has been worse. He does not know if he has a disease but knows that he cannot swallow and is in pain. Chhem traveled to our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) to receive treatment. On August 11th, surgeons will remove the mass from his tonsils. Chhem is able to contribute towards the cost of the surgery and needs help to raise $273 to fully fund the procedure. Chhem said, "I hope I will receive the right diagnosis and know what the treatment plan is."