Vitou shared, "I hope I can open my eye more and feel better at school and be able to do my schoolwork more easily." Vitou lives in Phnom Penh with her parents and two siblings, ages 12 and 5. Her father is a rice farmer, and her mom stays home to help care for the children and extended family members. Vitou's favorite subject is Cambodian Studies, and she hopes to attend university one day to get a teaching degree. Vitou was born with Neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow along your nerves. The tumors are usually non-cancerous but may cause a range of symptoms. For Vitou, she has difficulty seeing clearly and is embarrassed at school. Her family traveled to Children's Surgical Center (CSC) for consultation. In November, surgeons at CSC will perform a lateral canthopexy (correction of the eyelid) and partial removal of the tumor. After surgery, Vitou's vision will improve and she can keep going after her dreams!

San is a 43-year-mother of two from Thailand. San and her husband stay apart and San works as an agricultural day laborer. Her son lives with his own family and her daughter is a second grader. During her free time, San used to read the news on her phone. In 2020, San began to experience occasional abdominal pain and an urge to vomit, along with tiredness and unusual colored urine. She was then diagnosed with multiple gallstones and cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder. San has been advised to undergo a surgery to remove the gallbladder. If left untreated, San's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), San is scheduled to undergo her surgery on September 14th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of San's procedure and care. San cried and said, "Thank you for helping me. It is not just saving me but also saving my daughter from becoming a motherless child. You have helped me continue my life with my loved ones. I do not know how to express my heartful and profound gratitude to you all. Thank you so much.”

Piseth is a 33-year-old monk from Cambodia who lives in a pagoda near his hometown in Prey Veng province. Piseth's mother lives nearby and works on a rice farm. Piseth enjoys studying Buddhist texts and visiting his family in his free time. Ten years ago, Piseth had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, it is difficult for him to hear and communicate with others. Piseth traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On June 28th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, requests $926 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care. He said, "I hope I can return to the pagoda and hear everyone better."