Peninah is a 26-year-old woman from Uganda. She is the sixth born child in a family of eight children. After completing primary school grade seven, she dropped out. Now, she stays with her sister in Southwestern Uganda. Her father is a small-scale farmer, while her mother mostly stays home. In October 2022, Peninah began experiencing troubling symptoms, including mild pain and swelling in her neck. She visited a local health center, where she received an exam and was diagnosed with a non-toxic goiter. She was prescribed medication, but now, she often has a sore throat and sometimes experiences difficulty breathing. Surgery has been recommended to treat her condition. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is helping Peninah receive treatment. On March 9th, she will undergo a undergo a thyroidectomy, where surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. Now, she and her family need help raising $333 to fund her procedure and care. Peninah shared, “I want to look normal again. I pray that I may have a successful surgery and be able to live a comfortable life in the future.”

Khin is a 28-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her parents and three older sisters. Her family runs a small grocery store, and her older brother works in a factory to help provide for their family. However, Khin shared that their combined income is not enough to pay for expenses and basic health care. In April 2020, Khin started to experience dizziness, headache, and nausea. Her vision also became blurred and sensitive to light. At first, she thought she just needed eyeglass and visited an ophthalmologist. During that visit, her ophthalmologist tested her eyes and shared that her symptoms may be due to a brain tumor. Currently, Khin is still experiencing the same symptoms but they have been gradually worsening over time. She feels weak and has pain in her neck. Khin visited our medical partner's hospital for further review. The doctors want her to undergo a CT scan, a procedure in which x-ray images taken from several angles are combined to produce cross-sectional images of the body. This scan will hopefully help doctors diagnose her condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $414 to cover the cost of Khin's CT scan and care, which is scheduled for November 30th. Khin said: "I become angry very easily because of my blurred vision. Before that, I was so patient. I am so worried about becoming blind completely, I don't want to live this way. I don’t want my family to be in trouble because of me. I feel a bit relieved to hear that there will be a donor to help pay for my treatment cost."

Tang Im is a 68-year-old grandmother. She is a retired rice farmer and has two daughters, four sons, and 15 grandchildren. Currently, she lives with her aging husband and with her youngest daughter who works in a local restaurant. At home, she enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio. One year ago, Tang Im developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her light sensitivity, tearing, and blurry vision. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so is not able to go places on her own. When Tang Im learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. On November 21st, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and place an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, she needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Tang Im shared: "I hope after surgery I can see well again. I want to be able to take care of myself and my grandchildren well."