Rebira is a young boy from Ethiopia. This five-year-old boy lives with his mother and his older sister. His father is a soldier, serving away from home, so his mother raises the children on her own. She earns a small income selling vegetables at the local market. Rebira arrived at the hospital wearing his traditional dress, as last month was a season of holidays in Ethiopia. He came full of hope that he would finally be free from the trouble he has lived with for so long. His problems began more than three years ago with repeated throat infections. A year ago, surgeons removed his tonsils, but the adenoids behind his nose were left in place. They are still swollen, and they continue to block his airway. Because of this, he snores loudly, breathes through his mouth day and night, and wakes often. He never sleeps properly, and he wakes up tired. Poor sleep leaves him exhausted every day. Our medical partner, Saglan Wajee General Hospital, is requesting $700 to fund surgery for Rebira, which is scheduled to take place on October 17th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils, hopefully relieving Rebira of his symptoms and helping him live more comfortably. Rebira's mother shared, "We hope this is the last time he has to go into an operating room. We just want him to be completely healthy."

Yet is a retired rice farmer from Kandal province, Cambodia. She is an 87-year-old widow; her husband, two sons, and one daughter died in the Khmer Rouge’s region. Now, she lives with her niece and her sister. Yet likes to listen to the monk pray on the radio. About one year ago, Yet developed a cataract in her left 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 Yet learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On June 4th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $263 procedure. Yet said, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better, so I can easily recognize relatives and go around, and I want to help my sister sell bananas."

Reaksa is 14 years old and a 10th grader from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family and lives with her parents. Her father works as a chef in a restaurant, while her mother works as a cleaner. She enjoys studying Khmer literature, which is her favorite subject at school, and hopes to become a teacher in the future. In her free time, she likes drawing and listening to music. Her favorite foods are sour fish soup and fried vegetables. Around the age of 10, Reaksa's mother first noticed that her daughter’s back was becoming curved. Over the years, the curvature gradually worsened. She now has severe scoliosis, with her spine bending significantly toward the right side and associated kyphosis. Her condition has begun to affect her daily life. She has difficulty walking and sitting for long periods, and the discomfort she experiences while sitting makes it difficult for her to concentrate in class. Despite these challenges, she continues to attend school and work toward her dream of becoming a teacher. Until now, her family has not been able to afford the treatment she needs. Her family learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), through social media and sought treatment. On August 18th, she will undergo posterior spinal fusion (PSF) from T3 to L3, a surgical procedure that uses instrumentation to correct and stabilize the curved portion of her spine. She needs help of $1,500 to help cover the costs of her surgery, the implant, and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. The surgery aims to improve the alignment of her spine and prevent the severe curvature from progressing further. Reaksa's mother said, “I hope this surgery will help manage my daughter’s severe spinal deformity, improve her comfort and posture, and allow her to stay active and continue her studies and daily activities. I want her to feel more confident and comfortable as she grows.”