10-year-old Sopheak was born with a rare condition called meningoencephalocele (MEC). Due to this, a collection of brain tissue has pushed outside his cranium–developing a mass on his nose. If untreated, MEC can lead to further health complications.
“Sopheak lives in Cambodia with his two sisters and two brothers,” says our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). “When Sopheak is not at school, he likes playing with other kids, reading books and watching TV.”
After learning about CSC from a local doctor, Sopheak and his mother traveled nine hours to reach CSC’s clinic.
For $390, Sopheak will receive MEC repair surgery to remove the mass from his nose. CSC explains that after this operation, Sopheak will no longer have any visible signs of MEC.
“I want to be better after the operation and have a good-looking nose,” shares 10-year-old Sopheak. “After I am healed, I will return to my studies.”
Sopheak’s mother says, “I strongly hope my son can be healthy and go back to school.”