Vun is a 64 year-old loving grandmother. She lives in Prey Veng province with her husband. Both of them are retired rice farmers and their four children help support them by working in factories. Vun loves spending time with her eleven grandchildren and volunteering at the local temple. About five months ago, Vun developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Vun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On December 4th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. She shared, "I hope after surgery I can see better and be able to recognize my grandchildren."

Romeo is a physically active father from the Philippines. Romeo currently lives with his wife since all their children already have their own families. They rely on Romeo's monthly pension which is just enough for their daily needs. Their children chip in for their expenses too but as a father, Romeo wants them to use the money for their own families instead of giving it to him and his wife. Romeo loves to play chess, jog, and play tennis. However, his symptoms now physically limit him. Last November, Romeo won a consolation prize of a sack of rice at a community raffle. When he lifted it, he felt pain but ignored it thinking about how happy his wife will be upon bringing home the prize. Since then, Romeo has dealt with inguinal hernia. This hernia causes him to feel weak and because of his condition, he cannot do physical activities like he used to. Fortunately, on February 16th, Romeo will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital. A portion of the cost of Romeo's treatment is being supported by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Our medical partner is raising the remaining $1,103 to cover the cost of his surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably and confidently. Romeo shared: "My pension will never be enough to pay for a surgery to treat me. So thank you very much for helping me even though I am already old."

Dickson is a married man from a village in Lilongwe District. He has one child who is in primary school, and to support his family, he depends on a motorcycle transport business locally known as Kabaza. He also practices small-scale farming where he grows maize, tomatoes, and groundnuts for consumption and commercial purposes. Dickson was hit by a car while he was on his motorcycle, and he sustained a fracture to his left upper arm. He was rushed to our medical partner's Nkhoma Hospital the same night where he was diagnosed with distal radius fracture, and he was scheduled to undergo open reduction and internal fixation surgery. However, Dickson cannot afford to pay for the surgery although he is willing to pay the little that he can afford. This condition has had a negative impact on Dickson’s life as he feels pain from the fracture, and he is worried about his family’s well-being as he will not be able to work on his farm or his business due to the fracture. If the condition is left untreated, pain and swelling may continue to worsen over time and there might be a misalignment of the fractured bone. Our medical partner African Mission Healthcare is requesting $525 to fund his surgery. After treatment, Dickson will be relieved of his pain and able to work to support his family again. Dickson says, “I have no idea how I will take care of my family with no income from my business. I hope to get well soon.”