Thoeun is a 63-year-old farmer from Cambodia. He has one daughter, three sons, and eight grandchildren. Sadly, Thoeun’s wife passed away years ago from diabetes, and now he lives with his son who is also a farmer. In his free time, Thoeun enjoys watching Khmer boxing on TV, planting vegetables, and spending time with his relatives.
Five years ago, Thoeun developed a pterygium in his left eye, causing him blurry vision, tearing, and burning. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucus 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. He has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside.
When Thoeun learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, he traveled for two hours with his son seeking treatment. Thoeun 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 his procedure is $216 and this covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for May 21st.
Thoeun shared, “I hope after surgery my eye can see well and feel comfortable. I want to go to the rice field and plant more vegetables.”