Menghab is a 24-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He lives in Kandal Province with his parents. He is the middle child of three siblings; his brother works in a factory, and his sister is in Grade 12. Before his injury, he worked as a rice farmer and enjoyed playing football with friends in his village. Menghab sustained a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car while standing on the roadside. Following prolonged immobility during recovery, he developed severe pressure sores in different parts of his body. The condition has caused large, painful wounds that make it difficult for him to move, sit comfortably, and participate in daily activities. His recovery has been slow and complicated by repeated hospital admissions and ongoing weakness. Menghab learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and sought treatment. On June 3rd, surgeons at CSC will perform a skin graft procedure to help close the chronic wounds, promote healing, reduce pain, and prevent further infection, supporting his recovery and rehabilitation toward greater independence. Now, Menghab needs help to fund this $583 procedure. Menghab's father said, “My greatest hope is that my son will continue to recover, regain his strength, and become more independent through treatment and rehabilitation.”

Barkot is a nine-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He is in the second grade at school, and lives with his parents and brother. His mother is a police officer, and his father is a driver. Since birth, Barkot has suffered from persistent tonsillitis. The condition has been causing him pain and discomfort, difficulty in sleeping at night and snoring. This has worried his parents, especially since they both hold demanding jobs and it's challenging to have them stay home when he is sick. Additionally, frequent school absences have become a major barrier to both his academic progress and social development. Barkot was recently brought to our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, and diagnosed with enlarged tonsils, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. His family is seeking $700 to fund a tonsillectomy for Barkot, which is scheduled to take place on June 6th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Barkot of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. "We are fully committed to getting him healthier, to ensure that he consistently attends school and achieves academic growth," said Barkot's parents.

Kerventz is a high school student from Haiti. He has been raised in an orphanage in central Haiti since he was a small child, and still lives there today. He wants to pursue a career in science. In his free time, he likes playing video games and watching soccer on TV. Kerventz has a cardiac condition called mitral regurgitation. One of the four valves of his heart does not open and shut properly as a result of an infection he suffered as a child. This has led to heart failure, leaving him weak and short of breath. Kerventz needs to fly to the Dominican Republic to receive treatment. On August 11th, he will undergo heart surgery, during which surgeons will attempt to repair his damaged valve; if unable, they will replace it with an artificial valve. Another organization, Haitian Hearts Foundation, is contributing to pay for the surgery. But Kerventz's family also needs help to fund the costs of surgery prep. Our medical partner, International Cardiac Alliance, is requesting $1,500 to cover labs, medicines, and check-up and follow-up appointments. It also supports securing travel documents for the family and travel costs for the social workers from our medical partner, who will accompany Kerventz's family overseas. Kerventz says, "I am so glad to finally have this opportunity, I have been worrying about my heart for a long time!"