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."

Esther is a 48-year-old mother of two adult children. She is a sales lady and her husband is an accountant. During her free time, Esther listens to gospel music and enjoys eating nsima made from maize flour served with fish and beans. In 2021, she experienced abdominal pain and other worrying symptoms. She was diagnosed with uterine fibroids or abnormal growths in the uterus. She was given some medications that helped reduce the growth of the fibroids. Once her symptoms disappeared, she stopped taking the medications. However, the symptoms came back and the doctors at Partners in Hope Medical Center (PIH) recommended for her to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy to address the pain and future complications. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is asking for $1,363 for the procedure that will take place on March 2nd. After the surgery, it is expected that Esther's symptoms will disappear. Esther looks forward to being able to perform her daily tasks and going back to work.

Cristina lives with her mother, a food vendor; her father, a construction worker; and eight older brothers and sisters in a neighborhood of La Paz, Bolivia. As a small baby, she struggled to breathe normally, and so her mother took her to the children's hospital where she was diagnosed with ventricular septal defect, a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart. Cristina also has Down syndrome. During surgery, doctors will sew a patch over the hole so that blood can no longer leak through it. Christina needs your help to raise $1,500 to pay for her heart surgery. Her mother says, "Our family is so grateful to know that there is a way to fix our daughter's heart so that she can breathe normally."