Oeng is a 73-year-old grandfather and retired fisherman from Pursat province, Cambodia. He is married and has one son, four daughters, and two grandchildren. He and his wife live with his oldest son, a fish seller at a local market. At home, he likes to listen to the news on his phone and play with his grandchildren. About four years ago, Oeng developed a cataract in his left eye, causing him itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. He finds it difficult to take walks outside so often stays alone in the house. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so he is not able to go places on his own. When Oeng learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for 6.5 hours seeking treatment. On August 8th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in his left eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Oeng is able to contribute $100 towards the cost of the surgery and is asking for help to raise the remaining $253 to fully fund the procedure. Oeng shared, "I hope after surgery my eye can see better. I want to grow some vegetables around my house for our meals and take walks outside again with my wife."

Ly Huor is an inquisitive 18-month-old toddler from Cambodia. He lives with his parents and three older brothers in Phnom Penh province. His father is a taxi driver and his mother is a homemaker. His brother are all in public school and he stays home with his mother - they hope he can start school as he grows too. Ly Huor enjoys eating rice soup, playing with toys, watching cartoons, and playing with his siblings. In February, Ly Huor's right hand was burned when he placed it in a fire. His mother took him to a local clinic for wound care, but the dressing was soon removed by his mother because it irritated him. Normally, during the healing process, the body attempts to repair the damaged skin by forming new collagen fibers, which are the building blocks of scar tissue. Collagen is laid down in a somewhat disorganized manner, and it doesn't have the same elasticity and flexibility as normal skin. Therefore, when Ly Huor's finger developed scar tissue, it caused the skin on his index finger to contract and tighten. Burn scar contractures have developed on his index finger. He is unable to straighten his finger, which makes it difficult for him to grasp objects. When his mother tries to stretch his finger, he cries out in pain. On July 28th, surgeons at our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) will perform a burn contracture release surgery to to release the scar tissue and restore mobility to his fingers. Ly Huor's family is able to contribute $25 to the cost of the surgery and they are asking for help to raise $495 to fully fund the procedure. His mother said, "We are worried that Ly Huor will not be able to use his hand like his brothers. We hope the doctors can fix his fingers so he can attend school with the other children when he is older."

Meet Anna from Malawi: a 55 year old married mother of two children, aged 38 and 35 respectively. Anna is a business woman, whose husband does piece work in town when he can get jobs to do. Anna was healthy until about 30 years ago, when she started experiencing intermittent swelling above the umbilical area. She didn't think it was important, so she did not seek medical help. Over time, however, the frequency of the swelling episodes increased, and she began to experience discomfort. In 2022, Anna’s condition deteriorated, and she visited different hospitals, where the problem was associated with her raised blood pressure. Due to increased swelling, Anna found that she could no longer conduct her business. In September of this year, Anna visited a private hospital, where a diagnosis of an epigastric hernia was made. Surgical intervention is required. If the hernia is left untreated, it could become strangulated, which can be a life threatening development. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is seeking $575 to fund Anna's hernia repair surgery, which is scheduled for November 15th, at Partners in Hope Medical Center. Anna looks forward to a successful surgery that will enable her to refocus on her business, so that she can continue supporting her family.