Gilbert is 65 years old and a retired secondary school teacher from Malawi. He is married and a father of five children. His wife is a farmer. Six years ago, Gilbert began to experience troubling symptoms, including a small swelling on his neck. He visited the hospital, where he was diagnosed with recurrent follicular neoplasia of the thyroid. His medical history shows that he previously had a goiter in 1978, which was surgically removed, and he remained well afterwards. In 2023, Gilbert's condition worsened. After several tests, he was then started on chemotherapy for follicular thyroid disease and completed six cycles. He was referred to our medical partner's care center, Partners in Hope Medical Center, for surgery and specialized care. He was diagnosed with a goiter, which is an abnormal swelling of the thyroid gland. 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. He needs surgery to prevent his symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Gilbert receive treatment. He is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 7th. Surgeons will remove all or part of his thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $1,015, and he and his family need help raising money. Gilbert shared, "My condition has brought in more pain to my retirement life, ending up draining all my resources on hospital support; kindly help me to get better and get away with the stigma around me, said Gilbert during assessment."

Chanthy is a 57-year-old mother of four from Cambodia. She has been divorced since 1996 and has four children, all of whom are married and live in nearby villages. She lives with her eldest child, who works as a high school teacher. In her free time, she enjoys planting vegetables and looking after her grandchild. In May 2026, Chanthy sustained a fracture-dislocation of her right hip in a motor vehicle accident. She was a passenger on a motorcycle when it collided with a car, causing her to be thrown from the vehicle and injure her right hip. The injury has caused significant pain and difficulty with movement. She is unable to walk normally and struggles to perform daily activities independently, making her reliant on family members for assistance. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On June 11th, Chanthy will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will realign and stabilize her hip, helping to relieve pain, restore mobility, and improve her ability to walk and perform daily activities independently. She can contribute $100, but needs help raising $500 more to fund her procedure and care. Chanthy stated, “After the surgery, I hope that my pain will be relieved and that I will be able to move and walk again. I hope to regain my independence and return to my normal daily activities.”

Vy is a 76-year-old retired rice farmer from Prey Veng province. She is a widow, as her husband died due to lung disease. She has one son, six daughters and ten grandchildren. Now, Vy lives with her youngest daughter, who works as a garment factory worker. She enjoy to listen to the monks' sermons on the radio in her free time. About three years ago, Vy developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and severely 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 Vy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 16th, 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, Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $263 to fund this procedure. Vy said, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better, so I can easily recognize my relatives and go far places on my own. I also look forward to going to ceremonies at the pagoda."