Pov is a 54-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has one daughter, two sons, three grandchildren. Her husband recently retired from the military. When she is not working the fields with her husband, she enjoys listening to news on the radio and going to pagoda for ceremonies.
Four years ago, Pov developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her irritation, tearing, and blurry vision. 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. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside.
When Pov learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for three-and-a-half hours seeking treatment. Pov needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $216. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for May 11th.
Pov said, “I hope that after surgery I will feel no more irritation, that the tearing will go away. I am ready to go back to my farming, to work hard, and to see my grandchildren again.”
