Six-year-old Tay lives with her mother, sister, and brother in a village in Shan State in Burma. Tay's mother is a teacher. When Tay was three years old, she was frequently ill with a rapid heartbeat and fingertips that would turn blue. Her mother brought her to a nearby hospital, where the doctor told them that Tay had congenital heart disease and would need to be treated in Yangon. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Tay's mother did not feel it was safe to take Tay to Yangon. When she turned five, Tay's symptoms worsened, and her mother brought her to a hospital in Yangon in August 2022. At the hospital, Tay was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, and her mother was told that Tay would require surgery- which the family could not afford to pay for. Fortunately, Tay's aunt referred her to our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, for help. Now Tay is scheduled to undergo atrial septal defect closure at Pun Hlaing Hospital on May 13th. As Tay is becoming progressively more ill- with episodes of rapid breathing and weight loss due to a lack of appetite- this procedure is critical for her health and well-being. Burma Children Medical Fund is seeking $1,500 to cover the cost of Tay's care. “When I learned that my daughter [Tay] needs surgery, I felt very sad and I cried because I cannot afford to pay for her surgery. But when I learned that the organization [BCMF] will support the cost of my daughter’s surgery, I felt very happy and thankful to all the donors and that organization. I want to see her healthy,” said Tay's mother.

Medius is a 31-year-old woman from Uganda who needs surgery to heal her hernia. She was able to attend school only up to fifth grade, but at that point, when she was about 10 years old, her parents separated. At the same time, Medius had surgery for a club foot, requiring a long hospital stay. After that, she did not resume school. She now works as a maid for someone who volunteered to take care of her. For the last year, Medius has had an epigastric hernia - a type of hernia that causes fat to push through a weakened area in the walls of the abdomen. At first, Medius experienced abdominal pains that were intermittent. She received treatment but the results lasted only a short while and the pains persisted. Medius now experiences intermittent swelling, which typically appears after eating or performing heavy work. This causes her severe pain. Surgery has been recommended but Medius cannot raise the required funds. Fortunately, on August 26th, 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 Medius's surgery. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow Medius to live more comfortably and confidently. Medius says, “I hope to get well through surgery so that I may do my day-to-day duties comfortably again in the future.”

Pisey is a 49-year-old husband and father from Cambodia. He lives with his wife and 15-year-old son. He has a mobile food business where he sells local spices around town. His wife works as a dishwasher in a local restaurant, and his son is in the ninth grade at the local school. Pisey has had diabetes for several years and has had trouble controlling his disease due to the lack of specialized health care available in his village. Several months ago, he stubbed his right toe and it became infected, which can occur in people with diabetes. As a result, his toe has become swollen and discolored and he is in pain. Pisey is unable to walk on his injured foot and cannot ride his motorbike to sell spices. Fortunately, Pisey's local clinic told him about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC). He has been diagnosed with a gangrenous big toe by the surgeons at CSC. On September 8th, he will undergo an amputation of his toe, because gangrene can lead to serious complications if it is not treated quickly. Now, he needs help raising $479 to fund his procedure and care. Pisey shared, "I hope that I can walk again after surgery so I can return to selling my spices and supporting my family."