Ya is a 41-year-old woman from Burma. She currently lives with her father who is retired, her brother who is a student, and her son who works on the family rice farm with her. Their farming sustains their family, as they have no other source of income. They also forage for plants and vegetables from the forest. In her free time, Ya enjoys weaving traditional Karen (her ethnic community) bags. As a result of COVID-19 and the February 2021 coup, it is no longer feasible for Ya’s family to have traditional jobs. Her family faces extreme instability due to ongoing fighting in their area. Often, they must escape to nearby forests to avoid the conflict. They spend around a week at a time displaced in the forests. After the fighting has moved, they return to their village. Recently they had to sell their two cows to support themselves. In September 2020, Ya began experiencing back pain, and it was uncomfortable for her to walk and do regular activities because she cannot put pressure on her abdomen. She was diagnosed with myoma, or uterine fibroids. She has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Ya's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Ya is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on July 10th with the help of our medical partner Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), who is requesting $1,500 to cover the cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, Ya will no longer be in pain and will be able to walk without discomfort and work on the farm with her son. Ya said, “I want to get the surgery and recover quickly so I can go back to my family and help with the farm.” She is not sure what the future will hold as the fighting in her village is still happening, but she said, “I just want to be happy and stay with my family for the rest of my life.”

Lydia finished high school last year and has dreams of attending university, but she started experiencing some pain in her abdomen last December. She experienced the pain for one month before going to the hospital for an examination. After an abdomen CT scan, Lydia was diagnosed with Cystic liver disease. She was booked for surgery after the family raised enough money through fundraising. During the surgery, Lydia experienced complications when anesthesia was being administered and the surgery had to be cancelled. She was admitted to the ICU for a few days, recovered, and was discharged, but all the money her family raised was used to pay the hospital bill, and the family had to get a loan to clear the bill. While at home, Lydia recovered well, and during the last clinic review, she was finally ready for liver surgery. Their family has completely exhausted their funds and is appealing for any financial help to facilitate their daughter's treatment, hoping that after her complete healing, she can pursue her dreams. Lydia shared, “I really want to be helpful at home and maybe get a job to help my family but I can’t. This condition is very painful. I hope I will be treated soon enough and recover well.”

Chanseth is a 23-year-old factory worker who lives with his parents and four siblings in Kampong Speu province in Cambodia. His older brother works with his parents on a rice farm; Chanseth and two of his sisters work in a local factory, and their 10-year-old sister is in grade three at the local public school. When he is not working in the factory, Chanseth helps his brother and parents on the rice farm. In August 2022, Chanseth was injured in a motorcycle accident, fracturing his left humerus (upper arm bone), and sustaining multiple superficial wounds on his arm. Originally, his arm was just splinted. Two months later, Chanseth went to a local government hospital to see if they could help with the repair of the fracture. It has now been eight months, and Chanseth's arm is still non-functional. He cannot raise his shoulder or use his arm. Chanseth was diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his left side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. Because of the damage to his tendons and nerves, Chanseth is unable to work. He will require a nerve and tendon transfer to improve his shoulder function to regain the use of his hand. Chanseth sought help at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. On March 28th, he will undergo brachial plexus repair surgery at Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, the only facility in the country where this treatment is available. Children's Surgical Centre is requesting $709 to fund this procedure. Chanseth said: "After surgery, I hope that they can fix my fracture and I can use my hand to go back to work."