Hok is a 67-year-old man from Cambodia. He is married and lives with his wife and youngest child, who works at a bank. He has four children, all of whom are married and visit him with their families. He enjoys caring for his grandchildren and spending time with them. In 2014, Hok was involved in a motor vehicle accident that caused a fracture of his left femur. Despite several surgeries over the years, the fracture has remained unhealed. The unhealed fracture and protruding, painful nail in his left femur make walking difficult. He currently relies on crutches to move around. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On September 3rd, Hok will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will remove the old nail, repair the fracture with plates and screws, and use a bone graft from his iliac crest to support healing of the femur and reduce the pain and discomfort caused by the damaged hardware. His family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $500 more to fund his procedure and care. Hok said, “I hope this surgery will help my leg heal properly and reduce the pain caused by the protruding nail. I look forward to walking more comfortably and returning to my normal daily activities.”

Kanhchana is an eight-year-old Grade 4 student from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family. Her father is a rice farmer, while her mother works in a garment factory. She enjoys mathematics at school and likes playing with toys alongside her cousins. Her favorite meal is fried pork with ginger. When Kanhchana was three years old, she suffered a hot-water burn to her left hand. After being treated at a private clinic, the burn healed with scarring that caused her fingers to contract. She later had contracture release and skin grafting, but tightness remains between several fingers, particularly between the third and fourth fingers. Burn scars have caused contractures affecting the second through fifth fingers of her left hand. The tight webspace between her middle and ring fingers limits how comfortably she can use her hand. Her mother is also concerned that her daughter may become self-conscious about the appearance of her hand as she gets older. When Kanhchana's family learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, they traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 15th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to loosen the tight area between her third and fourth fingers, helping her use and move her left hand more comfortably. Now, she needs help to fund this $652 procedure. Kanhchana's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help improve my daughter’s hand and make it easier for her to use her fingers. I also worry that she may feel shy about her hand as she grows older, so I hope the treatment will help her feel more comfortable and confident.”

Dah is a 52-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and a son in the village in Karen State, Burma. Dah and her husband work as agricultural day laborers. Currently, Dah experiences back pain while sitting for long periods. She was diagnosed with gallstones and has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, Dah's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Dah is scheduled to undergo her cholecystectomy on June 25th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Dah's procedure and care. Dah said, “We do not have work every day. If there is work available but I have back and stomach pain, I cannot work, so we do not have income for the day that I did not get to work. I wish I could get the surgery and be free from this pain, but I do not have the money. Thank you so much for helping me. Without your help, I had decided that I would just stay with the stone inside me for the rest of my life.”