Met is a 66-year-old retired rice farmer from Kampong Thom, Cambodia. She is married and has one son, three daughters, and six grandchildren. She lives with her husband, who is also a retired rice farmer. Her children are rice farmers, too. During her free time, she likes to visit her children’s houses and go to the pagoda.
About ten years ago, Met developed a pterygium in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. 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, wind, or dust, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside.
When Met learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. Met needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The procedure will take place on June 9th, and she needs help raising $286 to fund her procedure and care.
Met said, “I hope after surgery, my eye will no longer be tearing, irritated, or red, so I don’t have to worry about it anymore. I can go back to growing some vegetables around my house, and I can go to the pagoda and join the ceremonies and visit my relatives, too!”
