The birth of twins Jane and her sister brought joy to their parents. She is the 4th born in a family of five. She is a bright grade 1 student who likes reading, drawing and colouring. Her family hails from a small village, and both her parents are farmers. Soon after birth, her parents discovered the challenge of Jane being born with multiple birth conditions: Bilateral clubfeet, hydrocephalus, and spina bifida. They shared that they were quite shocked as they had not heard or experienced any of them before. Treatment for hydrocephalus and spina bifida required a collaborative effort between orthopaedic specialists and neurosurgeons. At ten days, she underwent a spina bifida surgery at a local hospital to address the neural tube defect affecting her spine and then hydrocephalus. Jane is a resilient girl and has overcome so much, carrying a big smile on her face. She now needs treatment for her clubfoot condition as her feet are bent inward, hindering her mobility. She is scheduled to undergo surgery, which will be impactful to her because she will be able to walk confidently like other children and continue with her education. “My desire is to see my daughter walking well and any kind of help is greatly appreciated,” Jane’s mother told us.

Houy is a widowed grandmother. She is 63 years old and has three daughters, two sons, and six grandchildren. She used to sell groceries out of her home but retired when her husband retired. Sadly her husband passed away about 4 years ago due to hypertension. She now lives with her oldest daughter in Phnom Penh. At home, she likes to watch the news on TV and exercise with her grandchildren. About six months ago, Houy developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her blurry vision and difficulty keeping her balance, especially in low or bright light. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Houy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled there hoping for treatment. On December 5th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery, and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. She said: "My hope is that after eye surgery I can see better, do more outside on my own, and help to take care of my grandchildren and myself even more."

Pheak Tra is an 18-month-old living in Kandal province with his parents, grandparents, and three siblings. Pheak Tra's mom works in a nearby clothing factory and his dad is a rice farmer. His grandparents help care for the children, and Pheak Tra is the only child not in school yet. His favorite things are milk, fish soup, and playing with his siblings. Pheak Tra was born with radial club hand, a rare birth defect characterized by a hand that turns inward toward the body, and an absent thumb. Pheak Tra's function in his left hand is limited, which makes it hard to play with his toys and carry out everyday activities. His parents have been worrying about how and when to treat him, due to the fear of the costs. Pheak Tra and his grandma traveled to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) for help. On February 1st, he will undergo a tendon procedure under the care of visiting specialists from Singapore and a small team of Cambodian surgeons as part of an ongoing nerve and tendon surgical training program. After surgery, Pheak Tra will have improved function in his hand. Pheak Tra's grandma shared, "We want him to be able to do things with his brother and sister, and to be able to use his hand when he starts school in the future."