Sonita is a four-year-old preschool student from Cambodia. She is the only child in her family, her parents are Khmer teachers. In her free time she enjoys playing with toys and reading books.
One year ago, Sonita had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the ear drum. For this reason, Sonita experiences hearing loss, ear discharge, bad odor, and pain. It is difficult for her to communicate with others, and she often misses school due to the ear discharge.
Sonita traveled to our medical partner's care center to receive treatment. On December 9th, she will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in her right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, is requesting $925 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care.
Sonita's mother said, "I hope after surgery her ear pain will be gone, the discharge will finally stop, and her hearing will improve."