Jelly is a 50-year-old woman living in Thailand. She lives with her youngest son, cousin, younger brother, sister-in-law as well as her niece and nephew in Mae La Refugee Camp. In the camp, Jelly and her household receive 1,200 baht (approx. 40 USD) every month on a cash card, to purchase rations. Jelly looks after the household chores, while her cousin and her sister-in-law are teachers at a school, each earning 1,000 baht (approx. 34 USD) per month. Her brother is a famous cook in the camp who earns a few hundred baht cooking for public events. Jelly’s niece and her son are students, and her other son studies at a migrant school in nearby Mae Sot. She cannot support him financially and he receives a scholarship to study for free. Jelly loves going to church every Sunday with her family, and also loves to play with her niece and nephew.
Three months ago, Jelly was brought to Mae Sot Hospital when she developed blurry vision. At the hospital, an ophthalmologist checked both of her eyes. After the examination, the doctor diagnosed her left eye with a cataract, a condition where the lens in the eye gradually becomes clouded. Currently, Jelly can only ascertain if it is dark or bright outside with her left eye. She is unable to see distant things clearly with her right eye.
Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund lens replacement eye surgery for Jelly. On February 2nd, doctors will perform a lens replacement, during which they will remove Jelly’s natural lens and replace it with an intraocular lens implant. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, Jelly needs help to fund this $1,500 procedure.
Jelly shared, “My blurred vision causes me stress and it is difficult for me to do anything. When I cook, the smoke makes my eyes dry so I cannot see anything and now I am in too much discomfort to cook for my family because of my blurred vision.”