Art is a 64-year-old monk from Cambodia. He is currently living in a pagoda in Kampong Cham province. He has one son, three daughters, and five grandchildren. Art said that he spends most of his time at the pagoda studying Buddhism and helping clean the temple. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family. About five years ago, Art developed a pterygium in his left eye, causing blurry vision, irritation, and redness. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. These growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage. Art has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. He worries that the condition will worsen if he does not recieve treatment. When Art learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. Art needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent his symptoms from returning. The total cost of his procedure is $225. This fee covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Art's procedure is scheduled for June 12th. He shared, "I hope that after surgery, my eye will improve and I will be able to read better and join the ceremonies at the pagoda without discomfort."

Alice is a 52-year-old small-scale farmer from Uganda. She is a confident and eloquent mother to two children who are currently pursuing their studies. Alice faced various challenges growing up as an orphan, but she persevered and completed school through seventh grade. Unfortunately, she was unable to continue her education due to a lack of funding. Alice and her husband rely on small-scale farming to sustain their livelihood, as they have limited land. They primarily grow crops to feed their family but sell any surplus to generate additional income. Five years ago, Alice began to experience troubling symptoms, including swelling in her neck. This condition causes her difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, and consistent palpitations. She was diagnosed with a left cystic goiter or an enlarged area in the thyroid. Alice needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Alice receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on July 11th at AMH's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and Alice and her family need help raising money. Alice says, “I believe if I get your support, I will be operated on and will get better.”

39-year-old Sopheap lives with his wife and two young children in rural Pailin province in Cambodia. Both Sopheap and his wife farm potatoes, and sometimes rice, for extra income. In his free time, Sopheap likes to play volleyball in the village. In early March, Sopheap was in a motorbike accident and suffered an injury to his back. X-rays showed a C6-7 dislocation of the spine. Since the accident, Sopheap has not been able to work, experiences numbness in his arm, and is unable to sleep comfortably through the night due to his pain. Fortunately, our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), is helping Sopheap to receive treatment. On April 6th, doctors at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform spinal surgery with implants to stabilize the spinal column. Now, Sopheap and his family need your help to raise $1,500 to fund the procedure and care. The money will cover the cost of hospitalization, surgery, implants, physical therapy, and medication. After recovery, Sopheap's condition should improve significantly, and he should have full mobility after four to eight weeks. Sopheap shared: "I want to be able to go back to work and support my family."