Thy is a 63-year-old farm worker from Cambodia. She has one son, four daughters, and ten grandchildren. She works at a local rubber farm.
Thy lives with her daughter and her grandchildren since her husband passed away seven years ago. When she is not working, she loves to take her grandchildren on walks to play outside. She is also a devout Christian, and shared that she likes to read the bible everyday.
Seven years ago, Thy developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her severe irritation, burning, 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 Thy learned about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre, she traveled for four hours seeking treatment. Thy 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 $216. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for September 8th.
Thy said, "I hope that after this procedure, I can see well enough to continue my job, and that I can play well with my grandchildren and enjoy being outside with them."