Sorphea is a 51-year-old middle school teacher from Cambodia. She is a mother of three. Sorphea's husband serves in the army and her eldest daughter helps support the family by working in a nearby garment factory. Sorphea enjoys listening to music and watching Cambodian dramas at home. Thirty years ago, Sorphea had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Sorphea experiences hearing loss, tinnitus, frequent headaches, and ear discharge. It is difficult for her to hear her students and family. Because of this condition, she has taken numerous sick days from her work at the school. Sorphea traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On March 14th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, the surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $926 to fund this procedure to cover medications, supplies, and in-patient care. Sorphea shared, "I hope I can improve my hearing and get back to my job so I can help my students and support my family."

Chit is a 12-year-old girl from Burma. Her family moved to Thailand when her village was burned down. She lives with her mother, her twin sister, and her brother. Chit's mother works at home and looks after the children. Her brother runs a barber shop and her father is a monk who lives in the monastery in the village. Chit's brother's income supports their family. When Chit turned two years old, her mother noticed that whenever she tried to look at something, like pictures, she stared at them very closely. Last year, Chit had a check-up at a clinic and was told that her both eyes have cataracts so even when wearing eyeglasses, she is unable to see clearly. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement surgery for Chit. On April 4th, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Chit's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. Chit said, “I am sad when I don’t see clearly because I can’t go to school without help from my family, I cannot study and play with my friends.” Chit's brother added, “I worry for her how she will live with her current condition when I don’t stay near her, but now when I know that she has donors to support her treatment at Chiang Mai, I am relieved.”

Somanuth is a five-year-old girl from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family. Her parents work in a factory in Phnom Penh, away from home, and she lives with her grandparents, two cousins, and an aunt in Prey Veng province. Her grandparents sell plastic goods at home, and her aunt sells second-hand clothes at the local market. Somanuth recently started first grade and she loves drawing. When she grows up, she wants to be a teacher. At home, she enjoys snacking on milk and cookies. In her free time, she loves drawing pictures with her cousins. Around one month ago, Somanuth developed a lesion on her gums called a gingival granuloma. This is a lesion on the gums that appears as a small, red, and inflamed nodule. It is characterized by bleeding when touched because of the numerous fragile blood vessels in it. The lump growing in size, causing her discomfort and difficulty eating. Somanuth traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 20th, surgeons at Children's Surgical Centre will remove the mass and Somanuth needs help to raise $248 to fund the procedure. Somanuth's father said, "I am worried about what this could be in my daughter's mouth and hope that the doctors can remove it and she will be able to eat more easily."