Ashley is a 1-year-old baby girl that lives in Santa Cruz, a city in eastern Bolivia, with her mother. Ashley's mother is still in high school and does not have an income at the moment, so Ashley and her mother live with Ashley's parents. Ashley was born with a cardiac condition called ventricular septal defect (VSD). As a child with VSD, Ashley was born with a hole in the heart wall, called the septum, that separates the left and right lower chambers, called the ventricles. The hole allows blood to be pumped into the lungs, making the heart work harder than normal. Over time, this extra strain on the heart may lead to congestive heart failure. Ashley's current symptoms include feeling weak and constantly short of breath. Fortunately, Ashley's family was able to meet with our medical partner, Haiti Cardiac Alliance (HCA) at their care center, the Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría. A surgeon was able to diagnose Ashley's condition and scheduled her for surgery on May 31st to fix the hole in her heart. HCA is requesting $1,500 to help fund this procedure. Ashley's mother commented, "Our family is very happy to know we can have this opportunity to heal my daughter's heart!"

Soktheang is a six-year-old preschooler. He and his family live in Kampong Speu province, about four hours away from the capital of Phnom Penh. His father is a construction worker, and his mother works in a local clothes factory. He has one older brother who is a student. Soktheng likes to learn about Khmer history and listen to stories told by the teachers. At home, he loves to eat fried eggs and drink orange juice, and he tries very hard to keep up with his older brother. About three days ago, Soktheng's mother noticed him pulling at his ear and not sleeping well. She took him to the local health center, where they saw a small foreign object in his ear. Due to his agitation, they were unable to retrieve it. He complained of pain and hearing loss and was very unhappy. If the object stays in his ear, it could lead to infection and long-term hearing loss. Soktheang and his mother traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On November 17, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) surgeons will do a procedure to remove the object under anesthesia. Now, Soktheang's family needs help to raise $273 to fund this procedure. His mother said: "I hope my son will not have pain anymore. I am worried Soktheang will not hear from that ear."

Veasna is a 15 year-old high school student. He lives in Phnom Penh with his parents and three siblings. His mom has a job in a clothing factory just outside of the city, and his father works as a security guard. Prior to his accident, Veasna enjoyed playing volleyball and soccer with his friends. In March 2023, he got in a motorbike accident and broke his left arm. He sought treatment from a traditional healer near his house, but is unable to use his arm and hand due to paralysis. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He is unable to use his hand and has stopped attending school. Veasna traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On September 14th, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he will be able to use his arm and hand. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. He shared, "I hope I can fix my arm so I can go to school and get a job to help my family."