Savan is a 69-year-old retired rice farmer from Takeo province, Cambodia. She is single and has two older brothers and two older sisters. She used to live with her brother, who recently passed away, and now lives with a nephew who is a rice farmer and supports her living. At home, she cooks for the family, listens to the monks pray on the radio, and takes care of her grandnieces and grandnephews. About two years ago, Savan developed a cataract in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. She can no longer walk to her local pagoda for prayers and feels lonely at home. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Savan learned about our medical partner Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On August 8th, doctors at CSC's care center will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Savan is able to contribute $50 to the cost of the surgery and is asking for help to raise the remaining $253 to fully fund the procedure. Savan said, "I hope after surgery, I can easily go out and recognize the faces of my family."

Steeve is a 14-month-old toddler from Haiti. He is an only child and loved deeply by his mom and dad. Steeve has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. As a result of his condition, Steeve has been experiencing increasing head circumference. Without treatment, Steeve will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, Project Medishare, is requesting $897 to cover the cost of surgery for Steeve at Hospital Bernard Mevs that will treat his hydrocephalus. This is the only site in the country where this care is currently available and the procedure is scheduled to take place on September 19. This critical treatment will drain the excess fluid from Steeve's brain to reduce intracranial pressure and greatly improve his quality of life. With proper treatment, Steeve will hopefully develop into a strong, healthy young boy. Steeve's family is hoping that the surgery will stop the progression of brain damage from hydrocephalus. They are looking forward to watching their toddler grow older and are hopeful for healthier days ahead.

Allen is a 24-year-old woman from Uganda who runs her family’s retail shop. She is married, and her husband works as a driver in their village. Allen studied up to primary class seven and had to drop out due to a lack of school fees. Allen and her husband have two kids: a 3-year-old in preschool and a 1-year-old who has not started school yet. Allen visited our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), because she has swelling on her upper right arm. The mass appeared seven years ago but has slowly increased in size over time. She also experiences pain when she does strenuous work, which can get so bad that her hand becomes paralyzed and unable to hold things. This often happens when she is washing clothes. Allen traveled to AMH’s care center to receive treatment, and on May 3rd, surgeons will remove the mass. AMH is requesting $145 to fund her surgery. Allen shared: “I hope to get well through surgery. I believe I will be more productive. I will continue to run my family’s retail shop after recovery.”