Chean is a 77-year-old retired rice farmer who has three sons, five daughters, and 25 grandchildren. He moved in with his eldest son, also a rice farmer, after his wife passed away ten years ago. At home, he likes to listen to the monks pray on the radio and join religious ceremonies at his local pagoda. One year ago, Chean developed a cataract in his right eye, causing cloudy vision and photophobia. He does not go out to the rice paddies with his son anymore as he worries about injuring himself. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, thus is unable to travel on his own. When Chean learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, he traveled for five hours to seek treatment. On March 9th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery to implant an intraocular lens in his right eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $253 procedure. Chean shared: "I hope after surgery I will see well and can join ceremonies at my village pagoda."

Hot is a 55-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has one son, three daughters, and five grandchildren. She and her husband practice rice farming and live with their two daughters, who are students. In her free time, Hot likes to watch the news and movies on TV. About seven years ago, Hot developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and photophobia. 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. As a result of this condition, Hot has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going outside. When Hot learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), she traveled for six and a half hours seeking treatment. Hot will undergo surgery on February 7th to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of this procedure is $225, which covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Hot said, "I hope I will no longer have eye irritation, tearing, or redness after surgery. I want to be able to go outside and see well to plant rice and vegetables."

Sanyu is a farmer and a mother of eight children. Her oldest three daughters are married and the rest are still in school. Sanyu is a widow, whose husband died in 2015, but with farming, she has been able to raise her children and sustain a living. Sanyu and her family live in a three-room, unfinished, semi-permanent house, which her husband was building at the time he passed. Eight years ago, Sanyu began to experience troubling symptoms, including heart palpitations, persistent headaches, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. She was diagnosed with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. She needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Sanyu receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on February 10th at our medical partner's care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money. Sanyu says “This is my only hope of getting better. My hope is in your support; without it, I have no other way of undergoing my surgery.”