Vorleak is an 18-year-old girl from Cambodia. She lives in Preah Vihear Province with her parents, who work as rice farmers. She is the eldest of three siblings and is preparing to attend university soon. Her younger brother is in Grade 7, and her younger sister is in Grade 5. She enjoys reading books and listening to music. Two months ago, Vorleak was involved in a road traffic accident that resulted in a severe injury to the nerves of her right arm, causing weakness and loss of function. She has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on her right side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. She is unable to use her right arm and hand normally due to weakness and paralysis affecting her shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers. The condition has significantly limited her ability to perform daily activities independently and has prevented her from attending university. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. Vorleak traveled to our medical partner's care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On June 11th, she will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, she will regain independence in daily activities and increase her ability to pursue her education and future goals. Her family can contribute $25, but needs help to raise $712 to fund her procedure and care. Vorleak said, “I hope that after the surgery, my right arm and hand function will improve, allowing me to carry out daily activities independently and prepare for university.”

Mercy is a 34-year-old mother from Uganda. She and her husband are small-scale farmers who work hard to support their four children. However, their limited income is often dedicated to daily necessities, leaving little room for unexpected expenses, such as medical care. In her free time, Mercy enjoys weaving baskets, which she hopes to eventually sell to help support her family. Mercy is pregnant, and doctors recommend she deliver via a C-section due to previous complications and a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of Mercy and her baby. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Mercy undergo a C-Section on November 2nd. This procedure will cost $214, and Mercy needs your support. Having experienced previous miscarriages, she deeply values the opportunity to have a safe delivery and return home with her baby. Mercy says, “I have gone through many challenges during my journey to motherhood, including the painful loss of my first two babies. Today, I am hopeful that I will safely welcome this baby, but I am worried because my husband and I depend on small-scale farming and cannot afford the hospital bills for my operation. I humbly appeal to the donors to support me during this difficult time. Your kindness would give me hope, help me receive the care I need, and allow me to return home with my baby in my arms. May God bless everyone willing to help me and my family.”

Mohamed is a five-year-old boy from Mali. He lives with his parents and two older siblings. Mohamed's problems started when he began to experience swelling and discomfort in the roof of his mouth. Over time, the swelling worsened, prompting his family to visit our medical partner's care center, Hôpital du Mali. Doctors discovered a mass on the roof of Mohamed's mouth, which was investigated and found to be a nasopalatine duct cyst. These cysts are non-cancerous, but carry several risks if not removed. If the cyst is allowed to continue to grow, it could displace Mohamed's teeth and put pressure on his nasal passage, causing difficulty eating and breathing normally. Nasopalatine duct cysts can also become infected, causing further pain. Fortunately, Mohamed is scheduled to undergo cyst removal surgery on September 8th. Our medical partner, Muso, is requesting $1,120 to cover the total cost of Mohamed's procedure and care. Mohamed's parents shared, "Once the cyst is removed, we hope that Mohamed will be able to resume his daily activities free of the uncomfortable symptoms. We hope the swelling will be gone."