Hlaing is a 55-year-old man from Thailand who lives with his wife, two sons, mother-in-law, and grandson. He is a construction worker, but he stopped working five months ago due to his health deteriorating. In his free time, Hlaing enjoys listening to music and taking walks in the forest to gather wood for the house. In February, Hlaing noticed a mass developing in his right nostril, which has grown big enough to block the nostril completely. He experiences difficulty breathing due to his right nostril being obstructed by the mass, has persistent coughing and loss of appetite, and sometimes has hot and watery eyes. He underwent a CT scan and was diagnosed with an inverted papilloma in his right nasal cavity, meaning that he has a non-cancerous tumor in the right side of his nose. Hlaing sought treatment through our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) and is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove the mass from his nose on July 12th. Hlaing and his family need help to raise $1,500 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Hlaing said, “Thank you BCMF and the donors for paying for my treatment. I can’t afford it by myself. I have wanted to receive the surgery. I am happy to get support from you.”

John is a 27-year-old young man from Kasarani in Kenya. He is the second born in a family of four children, and he is studying at Kenya School of Law to become a lawyer. Before his sickness, John enjoyed playing football with his friends. His father is a police officer, and his mother is a homemaker. John's condition started about a year ago when he started having epigastric pain (pain in his upper abdomen), nausea and heartburn. He was treated for H. pylori, a bacterial infection, with no improvement. The condition has affected his studies because it has hindered him from completing his exams. An endoscopy procedure showed that he is suffering from hiatus hernia - a condition where part of the stomach squeezes up into the chest through an opening ("hiatus") in the diaphragm. John is scheduled to have surgery on July 17th with our medical partner African Mission Healthcare (AMH) and needs help with $788 to fund the procedure. If not treated, John will continue having the symptoms that may result in complications like gastrointestinal reflux syndrome, severe heartburn, difficulty swallowing, and the development of stomach ulcers. John shared, “I am still young and wish to complete my studies so that I can plan my future. I kindly request for help so that I get this treatment. I have no happiness or peace of mind until I get this surgery.”

Sambo is a 63-year-old rice farmer who lives in Prey Veng province with his wife, who is also a rice farmer. In his free time, Sambo enjoys going to the pagoda to pray, and studying Buddhist books. In 2002, Sambo suffered a bad insect bite on his right ankle that caused severe swelling. After some weeks with no improvement, he underwent a drainage procedure at a local hospital. Unfortunately, the wound never healed properly, and continued to cause pain. In 2010, Sambo visited Children's Surgical Centre, at which time the doctors recommended a biopsy. Sambo became too nervous to undergo the procedure and went back home. Now thirteen years later, he has returned as the wound area has gotten worse over time. Sambo has now been diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer which can form around chronic skin injuries. He experiences itchiness, pain, and difficulty bearing weight on his right ankle. If left untreated, the carcinoma may grow and cause further complications. Sambo traveled three and a half hours seeking treatment at Children's Surgical Centre. On October 18th, surgeons at CSC will perform an excision and skin flap procedure to remove the cancerous tissue and help him feel comfortable again. Now, he needs help to fund this $673 procedure. Sambo shared, "I hope I can finally stop this problem and go back to work on the rice farm."