Chantha is a 37-year-old factory worker from Cambodia. He is married and lives in Kampong Chhnang Province with his wife, who works in a garment factory. Together, they are raising two children; their eldest is in Grade 6, and their youngest is 4 years old. In his free time, Chantha enjoys drinking coffee and chatting with his friends in the village. About three years ago, Chantha developed tuberculosis of his right ankle, which caused swelling, redness, and severe pain. Although he completed a full course of tuberculosis treatment and the infection was cured, it left his right ankle joint permanently damaged. Since then, he has continued to suffer from pain, stiffness, and difficulty walking. He now relies on crutches to get around, making it difficult to work, care for his family, and carry out everyday activities. When Chantha learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 14th, surgeons at CSC will perform a joint arthrodesis procedure to fuse his right ankle joint and to relieve his pain, improve the stability of his ankle, and help him stand and walk more comfortably so he can return to his daily life with greater independence. Chantha can contribute $50, but needs help raising $561 more to fund his procedure and care. Chantha said, “My greatest wish is to wake up one day without this ankle pain. I hope this surgery will help me move freely again and return to the activities I have missed.”

Hory is an 80-year-old man and a retired rice farmer from Cambodia. He is a widower, and he has one son, three daughters, and five grandchildren. He currently lives with his oldest daughter, who is a housewife. His favorite hobbies are listening to the radio, praying with monks, and attending religious ceremonies. Hory has had a cataract in his right eye for the past three years. This causes 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. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When Hory learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On September 3rd, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Hory shared, "I hope that after the surgery, my vision will improve so that I can see more clearly and go outside more easily. I hope to grow some vegetables around the house and participate in religious ceremonies more comfortably."

Paw is a 30-year-old woman from Burma, who lives with her three-year-old daughter and her two cousins at a refugee camp in Thailand. Paw teaches at the camp school, and her husband works as a boat driver outside the camp. Her daughter and cousins go to camp preschool and school. Paw and her husband use their combined income to take care of the family's daily living expenses. They receive free basic health at the camp hospital run by Malteser International (MI) Thailand. Paw is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section due to a high-risk pregancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Paw undergo a C-Section on September 24th. This procedure will cost $1,500, and Paw needs your support. Paw said, “My first child is a girl. I would be happy to have a boy or girl this time. Either way, I will be happy to have a healthy baby.”