Mork is a 65-year old rice farmer from Kampong Chnang Province from Cambodia. She has four children, three daughters and a son, and enjoys listening to the monks pray in her free time.
Five years ago, Mork developed a pterygium in both eyes, causing her blurred vision, irritation, itching. 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 Mork learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. Mork 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 $201. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for February 6.
She says, “I hope that after my operations I will feel much better and can continue my work as a farmer again.”