Dah is a 71-year-old grandmother. She lives with her two daughters and their husbands, two granddaughters and two grandsons in the refugee camp in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand.
Dah is originally from Karen State, Burma, but she relocated to a camp with her family in 1997 due to conflict in their region. Her husband passed away two years ago while in the camp. Now retired, Dah assists her daughters with household chores and cares for her grandchildren, all of whom are students in the camp, except for the youngest, who is just two years old. One daughter works as a day laborer, while the other is eight months pregnant. Dah’s sons-in-law are currently unemployed but help around the house. She also has a daughter in the USA who sends $200 every three months. Additionally, Dah receives 2240 THB (approximately $67.88) monthly from The Border Consortium. Despite this support, her family struggles to make ends meet, often relying on taking rice from the store in advance and repaying when they have the cash.
Two years ago, Dah started experiencing abdominal pain and bloating. Upon review, she was diagnosed with uterine fibroids, and needs to undergo a hysterectomy, a procedure in which surgeons will remove her uterus.
Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund Dah’s surgery. On January 15th, she will undergo gynaecological surgery at Mae Sariang Hospital. Once recovered, Dah will be able to resume her daily activities free of pain.
Dah said: “Initially, I was concerned about the operation, but when I spoke with others in the camp who had undergone similar surgery, I felt reassured. Now, I’m eager to move forward and receive the treatment I need.”

