Su is a 44-year-old woman from Thailand. She lives with her husband, a gardener, and her son, a shop worker while Su is a homemaker. Their combined income is enough to cover basic expenses, and if they have any money extra, they send it to Su’s parents in Burma. Su noticed back pain in the beginning in August 2023 which affected her moving and sleeping but thought it nothing serious. As the pain gradually worsened, she came down with a fever in September and sought treatment at Mae Tao Clinic (MTC). At MTC she underwent an ultrasound, finding a mass on her right ovary, she was subsequently referred to Mae Sot Hospital (MSH). Su visited MSH a total of four times over the following months and in December at her visit to MSH she was told by doctors that she would have to go for a Computed Tomography (CT) scan to confirm her diagnosis. Doctors want Su to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Su's CT scan and care, scheduled for February 1st. Su said, "When I recover from my treatments, I hope to begin working with my husband in the flower garden.”

Sonita lives in Takeo province with her parents, brother, and aunt. Her parents and brother are rice farmers, and her aunt stays home to care for the house. Sonita has two other siblings who have married and left home. At home, she likes to read books or help cook for the family. A year and a half ago, Sonita was in a motorbike accident and injured her right leg. As she and her family could not afford the surgery, she has been suffering from chronic pain in her right knee, has difficulty walking, and working in the factory. Sonita and her mother traveled for two and a half hours to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), where she was diagnosed with a poorly healed tibia fracture with varus malunion. This occurs when a fractured bone heals in an abnormal position. On April 25th, doctors will perform an osteotomy, where the bone is cut or rebroken at or near the site of the original fracture, and then restored to its correct anatomical alignment. Sonita and her family are able to contribute $100 but need help to raise an additional $369 to fund the cost of the procedure. Sonita said, "I hope this operation will fix my leg so I can find a good job and have no pain."

Ritchina is a 7-month-old baby girl from Haiti. She lives with both of her loving parents and her older brother. Ritchina has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of her condition, Ritchina has been experiencing increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Ritchina will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Ritchina at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat her hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on January 4th. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from Ritchina's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve her quality of life. With proper treatment, Ritchina will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young girl. Her parents are hopeful that surgery will allow their child to grow up healthy.