Charity is a 60-year-old woman from Uganda. She grew up in a family of eight children, she is the fifth-born, with four brothers and three sisters. Her siblings all have families of their own and are farmers. After losing their father at a young age, their mother, who was also a farmer, could not afford school fees for all of them but managed to support Charity until she completed seventh grade. Charity and her husband are blessed with five sons. One works as a butcher, one works as a day labor on other people's farms, and the remaining three children are still in school. To make ends meet, Charity grows food crops for home consumption and sells the surplus to generate income for her family. Her husband works as a builder. About a year ago, Charity began to experience troubling symptoms, including a swelling on the front of her neck. Initially, it was painless, but she later began experiencing shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, frequent headaches, and painful swallowing. At first, she relied on painkillers, but they provided no relief. One day, while with a friend who noticed a significant increase in the size of her neck, she was advised that it could be a goiter. She then visited a hospital, but she was unable to raise the money needed for the procedure and returned home. For the past few months, she has been using traditional remedies, but none have provided any relief. While listening to a radio talk show, she learned about a surgical support program at Nyakibale Hospital that assists patients with conditions like hers. She decided to seek care there. She was diagnosed with a goiter. The thyroid is the gland located in front of your neck and produces thyroid hormones. These hormones are responsible for functions such as metabolism, growth and other bodily functions. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Charity receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on July 7th at Karoli Lwanga Hospital. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Charity says, “I don’t see any where to get the money needed for my surgery, but I have hopes that with your support, my surgery will be successful and I will get better.”

Srey Lin is a cheerful nine-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives with her parents and younger brother in Takeo Province. Her father works as a chef at a private school, and her mother is a garment factory worker. She is currently in Grade 4 and enjoys studying mathematics. When she grows up, she hopes to become a teacher. In her free time, she enjoys playing Khmer traditional games with her friends and eating spicy fried chicken. On June 1st, Srey Lin sustained a third-degree electrical burn to the fourth finger on her right hand after picking up a live electrical wire from the floor of her home. The injury caused a painful wound on her right ring finger. Despite receiving regular wound dressings at a local hospital, the wound failed to heal and developed tissue necrosis. She continues to experience pain and discomfort, which affects her ability to use her hand normally. When Srey Lin learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two and a half hours seeking treatment. On June 10th, surgeons at CSC will perform a debridement procedure to remove damaged and dead tissue from the wound, promote healing, reduce pain, and help prevent further complications. Now, Srey Lin needs help to fund this $417 procedure. Srey Lin's mother said, “As a mother, it is very difficult to see my daughter in pain every day. I hope this treatment will heal her wound, relieve her suffering, and allow her to use her hand normally again.”

Heang is a 41-year-old woman working in the crushed stone industry. She's from Takeo province in Cambodia. Heang is married and has two sons but no grandchildren yet. Her husband also works in the crushed stone industry, and her sons are students. In her free time, Heang likes to cook her favorite foods. About three years ago, due to trauma from a stone at work, the retina of Heang's right eye detached. This is causing her partial blindness and tearing. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere alone. When Heang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On May 4th, eye surgeons will perform a retinal detachment repair procedure in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $706 to fund her procedure. Heang said, "I hope that after surgery my vision will improve, allowing me to see clearly, recognize things more easily, and return to work."