Heak is 60 years old and a hardworking rice farmer from Cambodia. She lives with her niece, who is a Grade 12 student. She is the seventh of ten siblings, all of whom are married. Her parents passed away during the Khmer Rouge era. Despite many hardships in life, she continues to support herself through rice farming. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music and helping with household chores. In 2024, Heak was involved in an overturned car accident while traveling in Thailand, resulting in a severe fracture of her left femur near the knee. Although she underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture, the bone failed to heal properly and developed into a nonunion, causing ongoing pain in her left knee and leg. Heak experiences persistent pain and stiffness in her left knee, making it difficult to walk without support. The condition limits her independence, affects her ability to work in the rice fields, and makes everyday activities challenging. Fortunately, Heak learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), and sought treatment. At CSC, surgeons can perform a total knee replacement to relieve Heak of her pain and allow her to walk easily. Treatment is scheduled for June 1st. Heak can contribute $100, but needs help raising $1,213 more for her procedure and care. Heak said, “I hope this treatment will help me walk without support again and live without pain. Being able to move independently would mean so much to me and allow me to return to my normal life.”

Luciano is an eight-year-old student from Colombia. He is an outgoing, intelligent, and very affectionate boy who stands out for being extremely responsible and level-headed in everything he does. He has a unique spark that fills his entire family with pride and love, and in his heart he holds a big dream: to become a professional soccer player when he grows up. A year ago, Luciano was diagnosed with an umbilical hernia, a condition in which a small portion of abdominal tissue protrudes through the navel. He needs surgery to correct it and prevent potential future complications. Umbilical hernias cause mild discomfort or tenderness around the navel, especially when crying, coughing, or straining. It often causes discomfort that prevents one from carrying out daily activities. Fortunately, on September 18th, Luciano will undergo repair surgery, and our medical partner, Clinica Noel, is requesting $1,005 to fund Luciano's surgery. Once completed, this procedure should allow him to live more comfortably. Luciano's mother said, "I am writing this message with a heart full of gratitude. I want to sincerely thank you for your invaluable help and for making it possible for children like mine to have the opportunity to improve their quality of life. For us, as single mothers, not having the financial resources for these procedures is very difficult, and people with your generosity are a beacon of hope. May God reward you for your kindness!"

Phanny is a 58-year-old clothes seller from Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia. She is married and has two sons, two daughters, and three grandchildren. She lives with her husband, who works for an NGO. Five years ago, Phanny developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, wind, or dust, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Phanny learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for seven hours to seek treatment. Phanny needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the surface of the cornea. This will be replaced with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence of the pterygium. Her surgery is scheduled to take place on July 14th. The cost of her procedure is $298, and Phanny needs your help to raise this amount, which will cover the expenses of medications, supplies, and a two-day hospital stay. Phanny said, "I hope after surgery my eye will stop burning and the irritation will go away, so that I don’t worry about my eye anymore, and I can go back to selling clothes without discomfort."