Yorng is a 59-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has five children and two grandchildren, and enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio in her free time.
Three years ago, Yorng developed a pterygium in her left eye, causing her irritation, blurring, and tearing. 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 Yorng learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for three and a half hours seeking treatment. Yorng 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 June 3.
She says, “I hope that after my operation I will be able to see clearly again and can return to my work on the rice farm.”