Kenay is a sweet eleven-month-old baby boy from Ethiopia who loves to play with his mom. He is the fourth child of his parents. Kenay has started weaning and is eating Plumpy Nut, a nutrition supplement donated by the government and organizations to children with malnutrition, as Kenay was underweight. Kenay’s dad is a farmer and has land, but because of the drought, they couldn’t harvest enough, even for the family’s consumption. Initially, Kenay got his emergency colostomy from Sekota Hospital, which was supported by the community. However, he became so sick and underweight that his mother and some family members lost hope in his ability to survive. Fortunately, his mom heard about our medical partner’s care center, BethanyKids, from a social worker, and upon learning that they could get treatment for his condition, their hope increased. Bethany Kids covered the family’s transportation and accommodation to bring Kenay to the hospital, where the medical team first put him on a nutrition program for over four months to treat malnutrition. Now, Kenay’s weight is normal, and he is fit for surgery. Kenay was born with an anorectal malformation, a congenital abnormality that leads to a complete or partial intestinal blockage. He needs to undergo a series of procedures to eliminate bowel dysfunction. The long journey with multiple issues with his colostomy care has significantly impacted the psychological health of his parents, and they are requesting financial assistance with his surgery cost. Kenay is scheduled to undergo surgery to correct his condition on November 22nd. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $1,500 to cover Kenay’s procedure and care costs. After his recovery, Kenay will no longer experience bowel dysfunction or be at risk of developing health complications in the future. Kenay’s mom said, “I hope my child will get treatment, and I hope he will heal after the treatment. I hope I will see him growing up and start a decent life.”

Thy is a 43-year-old mother who lives with her husband and daughter in Prey Veng province. Her husband grows rice, and her daughter works in an office. Thy supplements the family income by selling spices and snacks from a small grocery in front of their house. When not selling snacks, she is busy keeping her house clean or cooking for her small family. Seven days ago, Thy slipped and fell on a wet muddy road. Her left wrist has become swollen, and she is unable to hold anything. Thy and her husband traveled by tuk-tuk for 2 and a half hours to reach Children's Surgical Centre (CSC) where surgeons diagnosed her with a wrist fracture. On September 8th, Thy will undergo a closed reduction of her wrist fracture. Thy is able to contribute $50 towards the cost of the surgery and needs help raising $485 to fully fund the procedure. The broken bone will be put back in place, which will allow it to grow back together in better alignment. After surgery, she will be able to use her hand again. Thy said, "After surgery, I hope I can use my hand without pain and open my grocery store again."

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."