Vitou shared, “I hope I can open my eye more and feel better at school and be able to do my schoolwork more easily.”
Vitou lives in Phnom Penh with her parents and two siblings, ages 12 and 5. Her father is a rice farmer, and her mom stays home to help care for the children and extended family members. Vitou’s favorite subject is Cambodian Studies, and she hopes to attend university one day to get a teaching degree.
Vitou was born with Neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow along your nerves. The tumors are usually non-cancerous but may cause a range of symptoms. For Vitou, she has difficulty seeing clearly and is embarrassed at school.
Her family traveled to Children’s Surgical Center (CSC) for consultation. In November, surgeons at CSC will perform a lateral canthopexy (correction of the eyelid) and partial removal of the tumor. After surgery, Vitou’s vision will improve and she can keep going after her dreams!