Saw Ta is a 36-year-old farmer who lives with his wife and eight children in a village in Karen State, Burma. Saw Ta plants chili and cardamom and volunteers as a community development worker in his area. The family also raises chickens, goats, and pigs. Saw Ta has a heart condition that requires the replacement of the aortic and mitral heart valves and the repair of the tricuspid valve. These valves control the blood flow between the chambers of the heart and are necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Saw Ta gets tired easily and experiences heart palpitations when he is working, requiring him to take frequent periods of rest. As he cannot work long hours on the farm, he stays home to take care of his children while his wife goes out to work. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for the complex surgery that Saw Ta's condition requires. The procedure is scheduled to take place at Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on April 10th, and once completed, will hopefully allow Saw Ta to live a fuller and healthier life. Saw Ta said: "After treatment, I will go back to help my wife on the farm, and also continue to volunteer in my community. Now, because of my heart condition, my wife has to do all the work at home and I feel sorry for her."

Vichheka is a 26-year-old from Cambodia. Along with caring for her daughter, Vichheka and her husband sell grocery products from their home. When Vichheka was a toddler, she fell off the front stoop of her home, possibly creating a left hip deformity. Her parents brought her to Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for examination; it was decided that surgery was not needed at the time. Since then, she has suffered from frequent spasms down her left leg, made worse by prolonged periods of standing while working. A relative suggested she return to CSC to determine if there was a solution to her ongoing pain. Now doctors would like Vichheka to undergo contracture release surgery on her rectus femoris, a muscle in the upper leg to finally heal her condition. After recovery, Vichheka should be in less pain. Now, she needs $572 to fund her procedure. Vichheka shared "I hope I can walk easier with no more pain after this surgery, so I can help my husband and raise my child."

Sineth is an 18-year-old plantation worker from Cambodia. He lives with his family in Kampong Cham province and works on a coconut plantation. Sineth and his family extract and boil coconut meat to produce coconut oil for sale. In the evenings, he enjoys playing soccer with other workers. In July 2023, he was involved in a traffic collision on a motorbike. He fell on his left shoulder and hit his head hard, losing consciousness. When he awoke, he was unable to move his left arm and had a fracture of his right wrist. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He has no movement of his arm, along with pain, numbness, and lack of muscle control. Sineth traveled to Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On April 26th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he hopes to have use of his left arm again. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. Sineth said, "I hope the doctors can fix my arm so I can use it to work and help support my parents."