Sok Him is a 25 year-old garment factory worker, living in Kampong Thom province, Cambodia, with her husband and five year old son. Sok Him's husband supports the family by working as a delivery driver. Until recently, Sok Him had been a homemaker. However, she has decided to return to work, as her son is about to enter kindergarten. Sok Him was born with polydactyly of her left hand, which means that she has an extra thumb on that hand. This condition makes it difficult for her to use her left hand at work. On July 3rd, surgeons at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre will perform a polydactyly repair procedure to remove the extra digit. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $299 to fund this procedure. After surgery, Sok Him will feel more comfortable, and she will be able to use her hand more easily, especially as she returns to work. Sok Him shared: "I hope I can have surgery so that I can do my work more easily."

Dinah is a 3-year-old girl from Kenya. She is the second born in a family of three children. Her family hails from the interior part of North Pokot. Our medical partner met Dinah, accompanied by her grandmother, at a mobile community clinic in Kacheliba. The grandmother has nine children and is raising Dinah. She is a farmer and a herder and shared that she separated from her husband after he married several wives. Dinah was left by her parents, who are pastoralists and migrated to a different region. Because of the deformity, she could not walk for long distances. Dinah has clubfoot of right foot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes difficulty walking and even wearing shoes. Fortunately, Dinah and her grandmother visited our medical partner's care center, AIC Cure International Hospital. There, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on October 17th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,286 to fund Dinah's clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will no longer be in pain and will be able to walk much more easily. “I am appealing for your support to help my grandchild undergo surgery so she can walk normally,” Dinah's Grandmother told us.

Three year old Sok Heng lives in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with her parents and 10 year-old brother. Currently, Sok Heng's mother is unemployed, and her father is unable to work due to a recent illness. They live near extended family members who assist with caring for the children. Sok Heng was born with a rare congenital condition called Morquio syndrome. In children with Morquio syndrome, the body cannot break down sugar chains called glycosaminoglycans that help build bone, cartilage, corneas, skin and connective tissues. As a result, these children suffer from loose joints and restricted mobility of their joints. For the last several months, Sok Heng been undergoing treatment, including splinting and physiotherapy of her right hand and wrist. Unfortunately, she is still experiencing pain and limited hand function. On November 2nd, Hok Seng will undergo tenosynovectomy surgery with our medical partner at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre. This tendon and nerve procedure corrects restricted or painful movement of a tendon, due to thickening and adhesions within the tendon sheath. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is seeking $572 to fund Hok Seng's surgery and post-operative care, including physiotherapy. After recovery, Sok Heng will have reduced pain and improved function in her hand. Her mom shared: "I hope my daughter can move her hand again and not be in pain."