Ny is a 44-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She is married with two sons and one daughter. Ny’s husband is also a farmer. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the news and music on her mobile phone.
About eight years ago, Ny developed a pterygium in her right eye, causing her burning, irritation, tearing, redness, and discomfort with her appearance. 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 Ny learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for seven and a half hours with her husband seeking treatment. Ny 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.
Ny said, “I hope after surgery I feel comfortable and can work easily in the field.”
Her husband added, “I hope my wife’s surgery fixes her eye and I won’t worry anymore about her and the harm to her eye.”