Hana is a cute and happy baby who loves playing with toys and interacting with the people around her. Her favorite foods are porridge with bread and pasta. She is the only child of her parents. Her mother used to sell candles at church gates, and her father is in the military, though he currently has no contact with the family. Last year, Hana started refusing her mother’s milk, and her abdomen began to swell. Her mother was extremely concerned about her baby's condition and immediately took Hana to the clinic. Hana was diagnosed with Hirschsprung's Disease, a condition in which missing nerve cells in the large intestine cause intestinal blockage. Further referrals led her to our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, who will help Hana and her mother with a treatment plan. Now, African Mission Healthcare is asking for $1,500 to help fund Hana's Hirschsprung's pull-through surgery scheduled for March 16th. Hana's mother said, “After her surgery, I want her to be well and to grow healthy. I will send her to school. I will try my best to give her a better life, and I don’t want her to suffer as I did. I hope she will be wise and independent in her future.”

Vanna is a 18-year-old monk from Cambodia. He is an only child and lives in Prey Veng province; he resides at a local temple to learn and practice Buddhism. His mother and his father are farmers and grow rice nearby. He spends his time learning daily rituals, meditation practices, and communal activities. In November 2022, he was in a motorbike collision and fractured his left femur. He went to a private clinic in his province where doctors inserted a metal plate to secure the bone and support healing. Now, the bone is united and he would like the hardware removed. This procedure will remove the nagging ache he still has in his leg. Vanna believes that metal in the body can interfere with the flow of energy and cause health problems such as headaches, fatigue, or joint pain. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On May 12th, Vanna will undergo a hardware removal procedure, which will cost $304. He hopes to walk unaided and return to his duties at the pagoda soon. Vanna said: "I hope the hardware will be removed easily and the wound will quickly heal."

Sai Laung, who is 18 years old, lives with her parents and her younger sister in Shan State in Burma. Sai Laung used to be an agriculture day laborer, but she stopped working in July 2022 due to her illness. In her free time, Sai Laung likes to read Buddhist books and study English online. During the first week of July 2022, Sai Laung began to feel very tired and she developed a fever. At first, she thought it was because she was working a lot, but when she had difficulty breathing a few days later, her mother brought her to the hospital. She was told she might have a congenital heart condition, and the doctor recommended that she have an echocardiogram to confirm the diagnosis. Sai Laung had an echocardiogram at another hospital, confirming that she has a ventricular septal defect, or a hole in her heart. The doctor advised her to go to the Pun Hlaing Hospital in Yangon to see a cardiologist, which Sai Laung did towards the end of November 2022. During that visit, the doctor also diagnosed her with aortic valve regurgitation, and told her that she needs surgery. Currently, Sai Laung has difficulty breathing and is only able to walk short distances before experiencing fatigue. Performing ordinary household chores like cooking or cleaning is exhausting for her. Her lips turn blue, and she has sharp chest pain, fever, and difficulty sleeping. Fortunately, our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, has stepped in to assist Sai Laung access the care that she needs. On March 7th, she will undergo surgery to repair her heart at Pun Hlaing Hospital. Now Sai Laung and her family need your help to raise the $1,500 to fund this life-saving procedure. “I have felt so sad since I was diagnosed with this [heart disease]. I need surgery and we have no money. I look at my parents and I pity them because they work so hard to help me get treatment. I want to recover quickly and go back to work so I can help my parents with the extra income. When I learned that there are donors who will help pay for my treatment cost, I felt so happy," said Sai Luang.