Oun is a 72-year-old house worker from Prey Veng province. She is married with four daughters, one son and ten grandchildren. She lives with her husband who is construction worker, and her oldest daughter, who is also a construction worker. She likes to listen to monks pray on the radio. About two years ago, Oun 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 Oun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 20th, 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. Oun and her family are able to contribute $75 towards the cost of her treatment and need help raising $188 more to fund the procedure. Oun says: "I hope that after surgery my eye will feel better, that I will be able to recognize people, do housework independently, and venture outside safely."

Loyce is a 48-year-old wife and mother of four from Malawi. Two of her children are married with families of their own, while the other two assist with farming work at home. For many years, Loyce has contributed to her family's livelihood through her small charcoal-selling business, while her husband works as a builder. Together, they have worked tirelessly to provide for their family. For the last 18 months, Loyce has been living with uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are common, non-cancerous growths that develop within or on the wall of the uterus and can cause symptoms such as heavy bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, abdominal swelling, fatigue, and anemia. When symptoms become severe, surgical intervention is often necessary to relieve pain, prevent complications, and improve quality of life. Loyce's journey toward care began when she first sought medical attention at a nearby health facility, where the doctors suspected the presence of uterine fibroids and referred her to another hospital for further assessment and confirmation. Despite receiving medical care at the time, her symptoms continued to worsen. She experienced ongoing lower abdominal pain, backache, dizziness, weakness, and increasing discomfort that interfered with her daily activities and quality of life. At the initial referral hospital, the doctors scheduled her for surgery in October 2026. However, in June 2026, her condition took a serious turn when she developed worrisome bleeding and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. After her condition stabilized, Loyce was discharged and advised to return immediately if her symptoms worsened. Unfortunately, her symptoms persisted, and in late July 2026, Loyce returned to the hospital. Due to the high volume of emergency cases requiring urgent attention, Loyce was referred to our medical partner's hospital, Partners in Hope (PIH) Hospital, for immediate surgical evaluation and management. At PIH, Loyce learned about the surgery program and, for the first time in many months, felt hopeful upon learning her surgery could be performed quickly without the prolonged delays she had previously experienced. Understanding the importance of her treatment and despite her financial hardships, Loyce voluntarily offered to contribute a co-pay of MWK 100,000 ($57.11 UDS) toward the cost of her care. On August 5th, Loyce will undergo a hysterectomy at PIH. Once recovered, Loyce will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain. PIH is requesting $1,363 to fund her surgery. For Loyce, this surgery represents more than medical treatment. It is an opportunity to regain her strength, restore her health, and return to the activities that support her family. She dreams of returning to her charcoal business, helping with household responsibilities, and living free from the pain and uncertainty that have overshadowed the past year and a half. Loyce shared, "I would rather lose my womb than suffer and die. Kindly help me to move on with my life while I serve my family in good health; I already have enough children and grandchildren, so I don't have to suffer for nothing."

Mengleang is a four-year-old kindergarten student from Cambodia. She lives in Kandal Province with her parents. Her father is a farmer, and her mother works in a garment factory. She is the youngest of three children - her older brother works in a beverage factory, and her sister is in Grade 11. She enjoys learning Khmer reading and writing and loves playing dolls with her friends. She dreams of becoming a nurse in the future. For the past four months, Mengleang has been experiencing sore throat, loud snoring, difficulty breathing at night, and trouble swallowing food and drinking water. Mengleang was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Mengleang, which is scheduled to take place on May 21st. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Mengleang of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Her mother said: “I am very worried to see my daughter struggling to breathe and sleep at night. I hope this treatment will help her breathe easily, sleep peacefully, and grow up healthy without pain or discomfort.”