Aye is a 40-year-old farmer from Burma who moved to Thailand ten years ago in search of better work opportunities. She and her husband currently work on a corn and onion farm, although their income is barely enough to cover their daily expenses. They have two children who are too young to attend school, so they stay with neighbors while Aye and her husband are working.
In late 2016, Aye first noticed that her lower abdomen felt firm. She began to have constant abdominal discomfort. Gradually, her lower abdomen started to enlarge, and she developed worsening pain in both her lower back and abdomen. Aye has been unable to work for the past two months due to this pain.
When Aye visited a local clinic and hospital for her symptoms, imaging showed that she has an ovarian cyst, a small fluid-filled sac in her ovary. To treat this condition, she will need to have a total abdominal hysterectomy. This is a surgical procedure in which the uterus and one or both sets of ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed.
On April 9, surgeons at our medical partner’s care center, Mae Sot General Hospital, will perform a total abdominal hysterectomy. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 for Aye’s treatment. This will pay for her surgery, medications, follow-up appointments, laboratory tests, imaging, and twelve nights in the hospital.
After Aye recovers from her surgery, she looks forward to returning to work, saying, “I will work on the farm again to help support my family.”