Sak is a five-year-old kindergarten student from Cambodia. He lives in Kampong Thom with his mother and older brother, who is in Grade 6. His parents divorced three years ago, and he is currently under the care of his mother, who works as a chef in a private household. He enjoys going to school and likes learning Khmer reading and writing. In his free time, he plays outdoor games with his friends in the neighborhood. His favorite food is vegetable soup, and he hopes to become a police officer in the future. For the past three months, Sak has been experiencing difficulty in breathing during sleep, difficulty swallowing, and recurrent sore throat (pharyngitis). This has affected his sleep quality, which has led to reduced energy, and impacted his ability to focus at school. The recurrent throat infections also cause frequent discomfort and illness. Sak was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Sak, which is scheduled to take place on May 13th. During the procedure, surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Sak of his symptoms, allowing him a healthier life. His mother says, “After the surgery, I hope my son can breathe and sleep better, so he can wake up energetic, attend school happily, and enjoy being a child again.”

Ma is a 46-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, three daughters, and a niece in a refugee camp in Mae Sariang District, Mae Hong Song Province, Thailand. Her daughters are students, while Ma's husband works in a motorbike repair shop. Since November 2025, Ma has been experiencing lower abdominal pain and frequent urination. She has been diagnosed with a uterine myoma. She needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Ma's surgery. On May 20th, she will undergo gynecological surgery, which will help her resume her daily activities free of pain. Ma said, “I am concerned that the mass could be a cancer when I noted that it is getting bigger. I could not weave as I did before because of pain, and I feel the mass in my belly.”

La Min is a 21-year-old young woman from Burma. She lives with her aunt in Bangkok, Thailand. She moved to Bangkok from her village in Karen State, Burma, in 2023 in search of better job opportunities. She worked as a waitress, but had to stop because of her health. La Min has a heart condition that requires replacement of two heart valves -the aortic and mitral valves - and 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. Currently, La Min experiences fatigue and a rapid heartbeat while walking even short distances, poor appetite, and chest pain. Even though she has lived with her condition almost all her life, she still experiences anxiety and stress during her episodes. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for this complex surgery. The treatment is scheduled to take place on April 10th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably and have a more active and healthy life ahead. In the future, La Min hopes to continue to work in Bangkok and save enough money to return to her village in Burma. There she dreams of opening a restaurant and selling Thai food. She said, “When I lie down at night, I hear my rapid heartbeat and have trouble falling asleep. When I am very tired and experience heart palpitations, I worry that my heartbeat will stop suddenly. I want to know what the world is like without my heart disease.”