Chanthoeun is a 57-year-old rice farmer. She is a widow and lives in Kampong Cham province with her youngest daughter. She has a total of four daughters and nine precious grandchildren. She spends her days outside on the farm and caring for her grandchildren while her daughter sells soft drinks. She likes to watch Khmer dramas on TV in the evening. Twelve years ago, Chanthoeun developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her Irritation and redness. Lately, it has been much worse and she has difficulty seeing. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. When Chanthoeun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. Chanthoeun needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent a recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $225. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for February 7th. Chanthoeun said, "I hope after surgery my eye irritation will go away, and no redness. I want to help my daughter to take care of my grandchildren, go outside to help with the rice, and do housework well"

29-year-old Agatha is a small-scale farmer from Uganda. Her husband also farms and together, they have three children. Agatha is currently expecting her fourth child. Her doctors have recommended that she deliver via a Caesarean section, as she delivered her three other children this way, and there is a risk of a uterine rupture if she were to opt to deliver vaginally. A C-section is the best way for the doctors to ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Agatha undergo a C-Section on May 4th at Karoli Lwanga Hospital, Nyakibale. This procedure will cost $252, and Agatha needs your support to fund this procedure. Agatha says: “I will be very happy when I am considered for this program since I am financially unstable. I hope to deliver a live and healthy baby, and I will resume farming for a living.”

Getrude is a 66-year-old humble and soft-spoken woman. She is married and the mother of eight children - five boys, and three girls. Her eldest son is a truck driver, two of her sons are in the bodaboda (motorcycle taxi) business, and the remaining two sons are farmers. Her daughters are all married and are local farmers. Getrude managed to study up to the primary level and now earns a living through her small banana and coffee plantation. Unfortunately, her husband is unable to work due to issues with diabetes and hypertension. Getrude was brought in by her daughter, who reported that she had been experiencing a protruding mass, backaches, and lower abdominal pain for the past six months. Her symptoms are exacerbated by lifting heavy objects or walking long distances. After examination by a doctor at our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), she was diagnosed with uterine prolapse with an anterior cystocele. Fortunately, surgeons at AMH are able to help and have recommended that Gertrude undergo a hysterectomy and surgery to help relieve the pain she is experiencing in her abdomen, which will cost $243. Gertrude and her family are hopeful that this procedure will help relieve her pain, and that she will have no more problems. She shared “I am going through a lot of pain, I can do nothing at home, but I hope with surgery, I will get better.”