Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre

Key is a hardworking 30-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. He lives in Oddar Meanchey province with his parents, who are rice farmers supporting a large family. He is the third of six siblings. Some of his brothers and sisters work in factories, while others help with farming. Despite financial challenges, the family works together to earn income and support one another. In his free time, he helps his parents with farm work and enjoys listening to music on the radio. Five months ago, Key fell on a slippery road during heavy rain, causing a serious injury and paralysis to his right arm. He has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury on his right side. The brachial plexus is a nerve network that transmits signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Injuries to this nerve network can result in loss of function and sensation. He was first treated at the provincial hospital, where he underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery for a humerus fracture. Although the surgery stabilized the bone, he continues to experience significant pain, weakness, and an inability to lift his right arm properly. This limits his ability to perform daily tasks and prevents him from working effectively as a farmer. He also sought Khmer traditional medicine treatment, which reduced some pain, but his arm function has not fully returned. Key traveled to our medical partner's care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, to receive treatment. This is the only center in the whole country where this treatment is available. On March 3rd, he will undergo a brachial plexus repair surgery. After recovery, he will regain the ability to perform daily activities and return to farming work more independently. Key can contribute $100 toward his care, but our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, needs $637 more to fund the procedure and his care. Key said with hope, “Even though the pain is better now, my arm is still weak and I cannot use it normally. I truly hope that with proper treatment, I will regain my strength and be able to work and live independently again.”

Sroeung is 43 years old and a rice farmer from Cambodia. Her husband works alongside her on the farm to support their four children. The family lives a simple life and relies mainly on seasonal rice farming income. In her free time, she manages household chores and takes care of her children. About one month ago, Sroeung experienced sudden dizziness and fell, injuring her left elbow. After the fall, she felt pain and was unable to bend or lift her elbow properly, which made it difficult for her to perform farming work and daily household activities. Initially, she sought treatment from a Khmer traditional medicine practitioner, but her condition did not improve. Later, she visited a private clinic where an X-ray examination revealed an elbow dislocation. The doctor advised her to seek specialized orthopedic treatment. After learning about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), from her mother, she traveled 2.5 hours to receive further evaluation and care. On March 3rd, Sroeung will undergo a reduction procedure on her left elbow. She can contribute $25, and needs help raising $427 more to fund her procedure and care. With proper treatment and recovery, her elbow function is expected to improve, allowing her to move her arm more comfortably, return to farming activities, and care for her family with less pain and difficulty. Sroeung shared, “Since I fell, my elbow has been very painful, and I cannot move it properly. It makes daily work difficult for me. I hope this treatment will help my arm heal so I can use it normally again and take care of my family.”

Sambath is 17 years old and a first-year university student majoring in marketing from Cambodia. He lives in a small village in Kampong Cham province with his parents, who work as rice farmers. He is the second child among four siblings. His older sister is studying accounting at university, while his two younger siblings are still attending high school. In addition to helping his family, he works a part-time job to help cover household expenses and support his education. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music and doing his assignments. Since he was five years old, Sambath had an ear infection. This infection caused the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum, in his left ear to perforate. For this reason, Sambath experiences persistent ear pain, ear discharge, hearing loss, and a ringing sound in the ear. This makes it difficult for him to hear clearly, which affects communication with others and his ability to focus in class. Hearing problems have also caused discomfort and reduced his confidence in social interactions and academic activities. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is helping Sambath receive treatment. On March 4th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in his left ear. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforation. His family can contribute $25, but needs help raising $338 more to fund his procedure and care. Sambath shared, “Since I was young, I have struggled with my hearing. It is hard for me to follow lessons in class and talk with my friends. I hope that one day I can have surgery to repair my ear so I can hear clearly, study better, and feel more confident when communicating with others.”

Sreyka is eight years old and a second-grader from Cambodia. She lives in a rural area in Koh Kong province with her parents and her brother. Her father works as a boat driver, and her mother works in a garment factory. Despite their modest income, her parents work very hard to provide for their children’s education and daily needs. Sreyka enjoys studying math, playing hide and seek with her friends, and watching cartoons. Her favorite meal is lemongrass sour soup. She hopes to become a nurse in the future so she can help other people. Sreyka was born with a cleft lip and palate, which was repaired when she was a baby. However, there is still a gap in her upper gum where teeth should grow. Without further treatment, her permanent teeth may not grow properly, and she may continue to face challenges with chewing, speaking clearly, and smiling confidently. Sometimes, she feels shy because of the gap in her teeth. The family traveled for six hours to reach our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). On March 4th, she will undergo an alveolar bone graft surgery to repair the gap in her upper gum. With proper treatment and recovery, her permanent teeth will be able to grow normally. This will help her chew food more easily, improve her speech, and give her the confidence to smile freely. Her journey to CSC brings hope that she will grow up healthy, confident, and able to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. Sreyka and her family need help raising $665 to fund her procedure and care. Sreyka said, “I feel shy sometimes because of the gap in my teeth, but I hope this treatment will help me smile confidently and speak clearly. I want to feel happy and confident like other children.”

Thou is a 57-year-old man from Cambodia. He is single and lives with his elderly mother and his brother, who is a rice farmer. He has six siblings, all of whom are married and live in nearby villages. Although they live separately, the family remains close and supports one another when needed. Because of his medical condition, he has been unable to work for about six years, and he and his elderly mother depend on family support. Thou has had a persistent wound on his left foot since 2001 after his foot was cut by a small stone. The wound gradually worsened due to nerve damage from Hansen’s disease, leading to recurrent non-healing ulcers and infection. The condition has made it difficult for him to stand, walk, or work. It limits his mobility, prevents him from working, and affects his independence in daily life. His doctors recommend an amputation of his left foot to prevent symptoms from getting worse. On March 4th, Tnhou will undergo an amputation with the help of our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre. His family can contribute $100, but needs help raising $488 to fund Thou's surgery and care. Once completed, this procedure will hopefully allow him to live more comfortably. Thou said, “After the surgery, I hope this treatment will help my wound heal, reduce the pain, and allow me to walk more comfortably again.”

Oun is A 77-year-old farmer from Cambodia. She previously planted corn and beans. She is divorced and has three daughters and seven grandchildren. She lives with her oldest daughter, who works as a construction laborer. In her free time, she enjoys going to the pagoda and joining religious ceremonies. Oun developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Oun learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On March 5th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. She can contribute $50, but needs help raising $213 more to fund her procedure and care. Oun said, "I hope that after the eye surgery, my vision will improve so she can move around more easily, take care of my grandchildren, and help my daughter with housework. I also wish to be able to go to the pagoda and participate in ceremonies at places that are farther from my home."

Sary is A 61-year-old woman from Cambodia. She is a widow and lives with her oldest son. She and her son sell bread to support their family. In her free time, she enjoys watching the news and listening to monks' sermons. About seven years ago, Sary developed a pterygium in her left eye, causing her itchiness, 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, wind, or dust, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside. Sary learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought treatment. On March 5th, she will undergo 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 $298. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. Sary said, "I hope that after surgery, my eye will stop tearing and feeling irritated, so I will not worry about my eye anymore. I also hope to return to selling bread comfortably and continue my daily work."

Sarom is a 55-year-old man from Cambodia. He works as a cleaner in a hotel. He and his wife have one daughter. In his free time, he enjoys running for exercise and sometimes participates in marathons. Sarom developed a cataract in both eyes, causing him to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, and going anywhere outside. Sarom learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, and sought treatment. On March 5th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in each eye. After recovery, he will be able to see clearly. Now, he needs help to fund this $293 procedure. Sarom said, "I hope that after surgery, my eyesight will improve so I can see clearly, continue working comfortably, and no longer worry about my eye condition."

Narin is an eight-year-old student from Cambodia. She lives near Phnom Penh with her parents and two older brothers. Her eldest brother works as a car repairer, and her second brother is a first-year university student majoring in English. Her father sells snacks, and her mother works as a helper at a pagoda near their home. Narin is currently enrolled in Grade 3. Her favorite subject is mathematics. When she grows up, she dreams of becoming a teacher. In her free time, she enjoys playing with slime with her friends and eating grilled meat. For the past one year, Narin has been experiencing hearing loss, noisy breathing, and occasional loud snoring. The symptoms make it difficult for her to concentrate in class because she cannot hear clearly. The condition also affects her communication with family and friends and may impact her learning and daily activities. Narin was recently diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and adenoids, which, if not treated, will cause her symptoms to persist and possibly intensify over time. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $345 to fund a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for Narin, which is scheduled to take place on March 5th. Surgeons will remove her tonsils and adenoids, hopefully relieving Narin of her symptoms and helping her live much more comfortably. Her father said, “After the surgery, I truly hope this treatment will help her hear clearly, breathe comfortably, and grow up healthy and confident.”

Dalen is 32 years old and a farmer from Cambodia. He lives in Preah Vihear province with his wife and their four-year-old son. His wife works at a garment factory and is currently the main provider for the family because he cannot work due to his injury. At home, his parents help support him and assist with tasks that he is unable to do on his own. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music and playing volleyball, but he can no longer do these activities because of his condition. On March 5th, 2025, Dalen was involved in a motorbike accident with a hand tractor, which caused a closed fracture of his right leg. He underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with plate fixation two days after the accident. Two weeks after the surgery, the surgical wound became infected, and he required a skin flap procedure to help treat and cover the infected area. About six to seven months ago, he started to experience persistent pain and abnormal movement in his leg. It is difficult for him to walk, and he now relies on crutches to keep his balance. Because of this, he cannot work and struggles with daily activities. Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, can help. On March 6th, Dalen will undergo a fracture repair procedure, which will help stabilize his leg, relieve his pain, and allow him to walk more comfortably so that he can return to work and support his family again. His family can contribute $37.50, but needs help raising $563 to fund his procedure and care. Dalen said, “After the surgery, I hope this treatment will heal my leg, relieve the pain, and allow me to walk normally again so I can work and take care of my wife and son.”

Vanny is a 62-year-old woman from Cambodia. She doesn't have any children and is a widow; her husband passed away about 20 years ago from meningitis. She previously sold Khmer desserts on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Now, Vanny enjoys going to the pagoda in her free time. About two years ago, due to her age, Vanny developed a cataract in her right eye. This has been causing her sensitivity to light, itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces. Vanny is worried about falling when walking, and she is not able to go places on her own. When Vanny learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for one hour to seek treatment. Fortunately, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her right eye on March 9th. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, our medical partner is requesting $263 to help fund Vanny's procedure. Vanny said, "I hope that after surgery my vision will improve so I can return to making and selling Khmer desserts, travel to farther places, and recognize my relatives more clearly."

Eang is A 55-year-old female grocery seller from a small village in Kampong Cham Province. She is married and has two daughters and three grandchildren. She lives with her husband, who also sells groceries, and her oldest daughter, who works as a coffee seller. In her free time, Eang enjoys listening to the news on the radio. About one year ago, Eang developed a cataract in her left eye. This causes her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces. Eang is also worried about falling when walking, so she is not able to go places on her own. When Eang learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for two hours seeking treatment. On March 9th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Now, our medical partner is requesting $263 to help fund this procedure. Eang said, "I hope that after surgery, my vision will improve, the photophobia will stop, and I will be able to recognize things better so that I can return to selling groceries comfortably again."