Kyaw is a 59-year-old man from Burma. He lives with his wife and two daughters in a refugee camp in Thailand. He works as a daily agricultural laborer outside of the camp, and his eldest daughter also earns an income through daily labor. His wife cares for the family, and his youngest daughter attends school in the camp. Kyaw was diagnosed with right eye glaucoma, an eye condition that damages the optic nerve. This can lead to vision loss or blindness. Kyaw continues to experience severe pain in his right eye and blurred vision. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help fund lens replacement surgery for Kyaw. On September 2nd, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Kyaw's natural lenses and replace them with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure. “I don’t have a regular job in the camp, so I don’t have a regular income. I didn’t expect this to happen to me, and I am really worried about my treatment cost. There is nobody to help me, and I don’t know what to do anymore,” said Kyaw.

Kheang is a 50-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He is married and lives in Kandal Province with his wife, who is also a rice farmer. They have one daughter, who is married and has a son. In his free time, he enjoys caring for his ducks and chickens. Four months ago, Kheang had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in his left ear to perforate. For this reason, Kheang experiences recurring ear discharge, mild ear pain, headaches, and hearing loss in his left ear. The chronic ear infection and perforated eardrum have affected his ability to hear clearly and caused recurring discomfort and discharge. These symptoms have made it more difficult for him to communicate with others, and carry out his daily activities comfortably. Kheang traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On August 10th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear, where surgeons will close the perforation. Kheang is able to contribute $100 towards the cost of his treatment, and needs help raising $263 more to fund the procedure. He said, “I hope the surgery will repair my eardrum, prevent the recurring infections and ear discharge, reduce my discomfort, and improve my hearing so I can return to my daily activities more comfortably.”

Yoeung is 81 years old and a loving grandmother from Cambodia. She used to work as a laborer harvesting potatoes but has now stopped working due to her age. She is a widow, as her husband passed away 10 months ago. She has three sons, six daughters, and 30 grandchildren. She currently lives with her youngest daughter, who also works as a laborer harvesting potatoes. In her free time, she enjoys going to the pagoda and listening to monks praying on the radio. Two years ago, Yoeung developed age-related cataracts in her right 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 she is not able to go places on her own. When Yoeung learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On October 15th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Yoeung shared, "I hope that after the surgery, my eyesight will improve so I can go home and recognize my relatives, move around more easily, and live a happier life."