Chetra is a bright and active 15-year-old from Cambodia with big goals. He has three sisters and is the third child in his family. His father unfortunately passed away several years ago, so his mother single-handedly supports their family by working in a garment factory. Chetra enjoys playing football, playing games, and listening to music. He is currently in grade nine, and he thrives in math and Khmer literature. In the future, he aspires to be a lawyer.
When Chetra was only six years old, a finger on his left hand was damaged by an electric burn. After the accident, his mother took him to a hospital to receive care for his wound, but he developed a contracture, which is the shortening and hardening of tendons and other tissue. This leads to the tightening of the skin surrounding the burn. Several years ago, Chetra underwent surgery in hopes of healing his condition, but there was unfortunately no improvement. He is currently unable to hold objects using his left hand and is in pain when he tries to straighten his finger.
When Chetra learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On July 25th, surgeons at CSC will perform a burn contracture release surgery to help him use his left hand easily again. This procedure will include a skin graft to cover the wound. Now, he and his family need help to fund this $495 procedure.
Chetra says, “I hope I can use my finger again soon and can grip things.”