Manfa is the only child in his family. His parents are rice and potato farmers in rural Mondolkiri Province in Cambodia. He loves to eat fried potatoes using the potatoes they grow on the farm and enjoys watching cartoons on his mom's phone. Manfa was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, a congenital condition in which bones are brittle and prone to breaking. He has experienced multiple fractures in his lower limbs since he was six years old. On March 4th, Manfa will undergo osteotomy, a procedure where his tibia bone will be reshaped to facilitate improved walking balance and prevent pain for him in the future. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, needs your support to fund the $469 procedure, post-op medications, and physiotherapy costs. Manfa's father shared: "In the future, I'm worried my son will not be able to attend school. I hope he can walk better than before and continue his dream to work as a teacher."

Alice is the eldest sibling among six children. She has a passion for cooking and a fondness for rice. As a dedicated grade 6 pupil, she dreams of becoming a surgeon to aid patients in dire need. Alice's mother runs a small shop and her father sells milk. Alice's mother noticed an unusual bend in her back, which progressively worsened. Despite her inability to bend and persistent complaints of pain, visits to various hospitals and diagnostic tests offered no clear direction for treatment. Their hope was rekindled when they learned about AIC-CURE Hospital from a friend. At CURE, Alice was recommended for Posterior Instrumented Spine Fusion, a surgical procedure aimed at correcting her condition and preventing further progression. The treatment is scheduled for March 19th and is expected to significantly improve Alice's quality of life, allowing her to walk without pain and continue going to school. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,500 for the treatment. Alice shared, “I am looking forward to a complete healing and resuming back to my normal life.”

Nay is a 31-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his mother, two sisters, two brothers-in-law, two nephews, and two nieces in a village in Karen State along the Burma border. Nay works in Thailand as a day laborer, spending one week working in Mae Sot and then returning for two days to his village. Nay’s mother is retired and one of his sisters is a homemaker, taking care of her children. The other sister and two brothers-in-law are day laborers on a farm in Karen State. They also grow vegetables for family consumption. His nephews and one niece go to school. Their monthly income is enough for basic needs and they make an effort to pay for basic health care. In his free time, Nay enjoys helping in his community and fixing electronic items. In July 2023, Nay began to experience blurred vision in his right eye. He has intermittent pain and discharge. These symptoms have made it increasingly difficult for him to see clearly. Nay feels uncomfortable seeing only with his left eye and feels sad and depressed about his condition. Nay was diagnosed with retinal detachment, a condition in which the retina pulls away from the supportive tissue in the eye, resulting in vision loss. If left untreated, he could lose vision entirely in the right eye. Nay is scheduled to undergo surgery to reattach his retina on January 18th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of this procedure and care. After the surgery, Nay's vision will hopefully be restored, and he will resume his daily activities comfortably. Nay said “I was stuck and hopeless while the doctor was telling me that I would need a surgery. I don’t even know how to explain about my health problem to my family. I worry they will feel so sad and worry about me. I am unhappy and feel tired emotionally. After learning that I have donors who will help me paying for my treatment in Chiang Mai, I feel like my hope has returned and I'm wishing my vision would repair and I'll be able to continue my career in the future."