Phyo is an 11-year-old girl from Burma who lives with her parents. Her parents work in a paddy field, cultivating rice mainly for home consumption and occasionally for sale.
When Phyo was one month old, her parents noticed that her right eye appeared white and cloudy. They never sought medical care at the time, particularly because they believed that surgery might worsen Phyo’s condition and did not have the resources to focus on Phyo’s eyesight. Phyo was recently diagnosed with congenital cataracts, which have caused her to develop partial blindness. Her cataracts have now greatly affected her ability to learn, as her schoolteacher has refused to educate her because of her condition and special needs.
Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund cataract surgery for Phyo. The procedure is scheduled to take place on June 27 and, once completed, will hopefully restore Phyo’s vision to as great of an extent as possible, allowing her to continue with her studies.
“I enjoy reading and I am always found studying at home. I hope to be a teacher when I grow up,” adds Phyo.