Meet Tevy, a 13-year-old student from Cambodia. She is in eighth grade, and her favorite subject is math. She has a younger brother in fourth grade, and her family lives four hours outside of the capital city in a sparsely populated town. Her parents work in the local government. In the future, Tevy hopes to become a teacher. Until then, her favorite activities in her free time are watching TV and eating her mom's amazing chicken recipes! Tevy was born prematurely and diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age three. She has had some physiotherapy but is currently finding it more difficult to walk due to her knee flexion, thus impacting her mobility. She also experiences social anxiety in school and around her peers. She visited our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), where the surgeons determined that an osteotomy and patella advance in both legs will help her walk without needing support. This will include lengthening the muscles behind the knees (the hamstrings and calf muscles) through an injection of Botox into the spastic muscle, causing it to partially relax as she heals. CSC is requesting $485 for this procedure, which covers the surgery, hospitalization, and post-op physiotherapy costs. Tevy's family has gathered $100 to contribute to her care. Tevy's father shared: "We are worried my daughter will stop going to school even though she is good in school. I hope she can walk better than before and continue her studies."

Mena is a 6-year-old girl who lives in a rural village in Cambodia with her parents and two-year-old brother. Her father is a rice and vegetable farmer, and her mother works in a nearby clothes factory. Mena's grandparents help care for her while her parents are working. She loves sports, especially soccer, and her favorite foods are fried eggs and rice. A few weeks ago, her dad noticed that she couldn't hear him and Mena says she can't hear like before she was sick with the flu a month ago. Since then, she has experienced ear discharge and tinnitus. She has missed many days of school and medication has not improved her condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), can help. On March 27th, surgeons at CSC will perform a myringotomy procedure to drain fluid from her ear so she can hear well and return to school. Now, she needs help raising $184 to fund her procedure and care. Her father shared, "I hope that after surgery my daughter's hearing improves and she is not in pain anymore."

Vanna is a 18-year-old monk from Cambodia. He is an only child and lives in Prey Veng province; he resides at a local temple to learn and practice Buddhism. His mother and his father are farmers and grow rice nearby. He spends his time learning daily rituals, meditation practices, and communal activities. In November 2022, he was in a motorbike collision and fractured his left femur. He went to a private clinic in his province where doctors inserted a metal plate to secure the bone and support healing. Now, the bone is united and he would like the hardware removed. This procedure will remove the nagging ache he still has in his leg. Vanna believes that metal in the body can interfere with the flow of energy and cause health problems such as headaches, fatigue, or joint pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On May 12th, Vanna will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $304. He hopes to walk unaided and return to his duties at the pagoda soon. Vanna said: "I hope the hardware will be removed easily and the wound will quickly heal."