La comes from a family of rice farmers in Kampong Thom province in rural Cambodia. He is married to a primary school teacher, and they have a 10-year-old daughter who is in the 3rd grade. In his downtime, he likes to spend time with his daughter and help his wife around the house. In September, while he was cutting back small trees and branches on his land, La accidentally dropped the hand tool he was using on his right ankle. His wife rushed him to a local clinic, where they were able to stop the bleeding and close his wound. Six weeks later, La stil has difficulty walking and his ankle is swollen and painful. Due to this injury, he is not currently tending his fields. He and his wife are worried that they might lose their land. On October 20th La will undergo a tendon repair procedure at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Center. The procedure, which will cost $572 involves making a small incision in the area above the tendon and using specialized surgical tools to remove any damaged tissue. La will need physical therapy after surgery, which will help him regain strength and range of motion and allow him to walk again. La says, "I hope after my operation I will be able to walk with no difficulty and no pain or swelling so I can grow my crops to feed my family."

Misheck, who is two years old, is the youngest of four children in a family that lives in the Dedza District of Malawi. His parents are divorced, and because his father no longer supports the family, his mother depends on growing maize and groundnuts to provide for her children. For four months, Misheck has been experiencing painful swelling on the right side of his scrotum. The swelling appears when he cries or strains himself. His mother took him to several health centers where he was given medicine, but they did not alleviate his discomfort. His uncle decided to bring Misheck to the hospital for evaluation, where he was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia. Misheck requires surgery, which his family cannot afford. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is here to help. On May 4th, Misheck will undergo hernia repair surgery at Nkhoma Hospital, which will cost $421. Without this treatment, Misheck faces the possibility of developing life-threatening complications, such as hernia strangulation. His family is looking to you to help raise the funds to cover the costs of Misheck's surgery. Misheck’s uncle says: “I am glad that my nephew will get the help he needs, and I look forward to his full recovery."

Kimleang is an 11-year-old student. She looks up to her older sister who is 15 years old and is in 9th grade. She enjoys learning English at school and her favorite subject is Khmer literature. At home, after she has done her homework, she likes to watch TV, listen to music, and eat ice cream. Eight years ago, when Kimleang was only three, she was in a motor vehicle accident and fractured her right tibia. Her parents took her to a Khmer traditional healer, where she received a bamboo splint and medication. Unfortunately, her leg became infected, so her parents took her to a local hospital for debridement and a cast. Although her infection resolved, her ankle and toe have become deformed over the past several years due to her previous fracture. It is difficult for her to walk, and she struggles to match the pace of her friends, who enjoy running and playing. When Kimleang's family learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), they traveled over 4 hours seeking treatment. Surgeons at CSC have determined that she needs a tendon procedure on the upper surface of her foot, where extensor muscles are located. An external frame will be placed to stabilize the incision and assist in healing. Kimleang's parents are able to contribute $100 to the cost of the procedure and need help with the full cost to fund the procedure that which is scheduled for August 11th. This will cover the surgery, hospitalization, medications, and rehabilitation. After surgery, Kimleang should be able to walk normally and no longer be in pain. Kimleang shared, "After surgery I hope that my leg will be straight and I won’t have pain when walking."