Edvina is an elderly woman from Uganda. She did not attend school and shares there was no education at that time. She delivered nine children altogether, but only six are alive and are all married. She can no longer go to the fields for farming because of her old age and is taken care of by her children. She stays in a three-room mud house with three of her grandchildren. For five years, Edvina has had an abdominal hernia. She reports having a small swelling above her umbilicus, but her family thought that she had gastric ulcers. She was unable to eat comfortably. She visited a couple of hospitals without finding the right diagnosis and would be discharged on painkillers. Her son reports that she has now completely lost her appetite and feels uncomfortable most of the time. At Rushoroza Hospital, surgery has been recommended but her children cannot afford it. Fortunately, on September 15, she will undergo hernia repair surgery at our medical partner's care center. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is requesting $170 to fund Edvina's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will allow her to live more comfortably and confidently. Edivina says, “I hope to get well through surgery so that I may live the remaining part of my life comfortable and peaceful.”

Moe is 42-year-old man from Thailand. He lives with his mother, sister, brother and nephew on the Thai-Burma border. They are all unemployed due to the difficulties of the local situation. In his free time, he enjoys playing badminton and designing t-shirts. On July 3rd, Moe was playing badminton with his friends when he slipped and fell. After he fell he could not move and experienced pain in his right leg. He received an x-ray at Mae Sot Hospital and was diagnosed with fractures in his right tibia and fibula (both bones in the lower leg). He experiences extreme pain in his right leg. He cannot move or lift it, nor can he comfortably sit up. Due to the pain, he cannot sleep well, and he has little appetite. He needs to rely on his brother for all personal care. With the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Moe will undergo surgery to reset his fractured bones and ensure proper healing. The procedure is scheduled for July 20th and BCMF is requesting $1,500 to fund his treatment. This procedure will help Moe walk again and be free of pain. He will no longer have to rely on his brother to help him with personal care. Moe shared, “I feel so upset because I never thought that I would be like this [bed-bound]. I want to have my surgery soon because I feel a lot of pain in my right leg. I am really thankful for the donors who are paying for my treatment."

Sophanun is an active seven-year-old student in grade one. He and his family come from Battambang province, approximately six and a half hours away from the capital city. He has one younger sister, his father is a musician, and his mother stays home to care for the children. His favorite activities in school are singing Khmer songs and painting. He has recently learned to swim and really enjoys splashing in the water his father. His favorite foods are pork porridge, broccoli with meat, and fresh mango juice. For several years, Sophanun has been experiencing sore throats. During the night he often has trouble breathing. He gets frequent fevers and he doesn't sleep or feel well. Frequent illness causes him to lose his appetite and miss school. Sophanun was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause his symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $265 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Sophanun, which is scheduled to take place on September 26th. Surgeons will remove his tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Sophanun of his symptoms and helping him live much more comfortably and be able to attend school and do all the things he loves. His parents say, "We hope that after surgery, Sophanum will be comfortable drinking and eating and it will be easy for him to breathe."