Ly Chheng is a 77-year-old man from Cambodia. He lives in Phnom Penh with his wife and their third child, who works as a tailor. He has six children in total, all of whom are married and have their own jobs. He is no longer working, and in his free time, he enjoys planting vegetables around his home. Ly Chheng has severe cervical spinal stenosis, a condition in which narrowing of the spinal canal puts pressure on the spinal cord. He has experienced intermittent numbness and weakness in his hands and extremities for approximately four to five years, with his symptoms becoming progressively worse since early 2026. He now experiences numbness and weakness in both hands, hand clumsiness, difficulty walking steadily, and frequent urges to urinate. He also has neck stiffness and pain that can extend toward his shoulders. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for him to move around safely and manage his daily activities independently. Ly Chheng's family was referred to our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), to seek specialized care. On August 17th, surgeons at CSC plan to perform cervical spine decompression to relieve pressure on his spinal cord and help prevent further deterioration. The surgery costs $1,500, and his family can contribute $50, but they need help covering the remaining $1,450. After surgery, he hopes to have less numbness and weakness, walk more steadily, and become more independent in his daily activities. Ly Chheng said, “I hope the treatment will relieve the pressure on my spinal cord, improve the numbness and weakness in my hands, and help me walk more steadily. I want to be more independent and able to manage my daily activities more comfortably.”

Sao is a 61-year-old widow from Cambodia. She has three children and lives with her daughter. Her eldest child is a rice farmer, her second child works in Thailand, and her youngest is in Grade 10. She spends her free time caring for her grandchild and growing vegetables around her home. On July 20, 2025, Sao sustained a fracture of her right femur when a car struck her from behind in a road traffic accident. She was transferred to Vietnam, where surgeons stabilized the fracture with an intramedullary locking nail. However, the bone has not united, and she continues to need treatment. The unhealed fracture causes persistent pain in her right thigh and makes walking difficult. She relies on crutches and feels unstable when moving around, limiting her ability to carry out daily activities and care for her grandchild comfortably. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On October 20th, Sao will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will involve bone grafting at the fracture site, removal of the cerclage wires, and removal of the proximal screw to allow dynamization of the nail. These steps aim to encourage bone healing and improve stability in her right leg, helping her gradually regain more comfortable mobility. She can contribute $35, but needs help raising $550 more to fund her procedure and care. Sao's daughter said, “I worry about my mother because she is still in pain and struggles to walk after her accident. I hope this surgery helps her bone heal so she can walk more steadily, feel less pain, and return to her daily activities.”

Kuon is a 68-year-old grandmother from Cambodia. She lives in Battambang with her elderly husband and grandchildren. She has three children: her oldest child works as a car repairer, her second child works for a private company, and her youngest child is a taxi driver. She spends much of her time caring for her grandchildren. She also enjoys visiting the pagoda. Kuon developed a non-healing ulcer on her right cheek after suffering a burn while cooking. The wound remained open for about one year and was later diagnosed as invasive basal cell carcinoma. The ulcer has not healed and has a small area of dead tissue along its edge. Although it is not painful when touched, having a persistent lesion on her cheek affects her comfort and confidence in daily life. When Kuon learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 10th, surgeons at CSC will perform a removal of the basal cell carcinoma from her right cheek, followed by reconstruction with a rhomboid flap to remove the cancerous lesion and reconstruct the affected area, helping the wound heal and restoring the appearance and function of her cheek. Her family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $616 more to fund her procedure and care. Kuon said, “I hope the surgery will remove the ulcer on my cheek and help the area heal properly. I am looking forward to recovering and returning to my usual daily activities with more confidence.”