Rathana is a 19-year-old student from Cambodia. He lives in Kampong Cham province and is the youngest of four siblings. He is currently in the ninth grade. His oldest sister stays at home to take care of their disabled mother, while his second and third siblings work as hairdressers. In his free time, he helps the family with household tasks and enjoys playing games on his phone.
When he was about four, Rathana had an ear infection. This infection caused a cholesteatoma, or an abnormal skin growth, to develop in the middle ear behind the eardrum. For this reason, Rathana experiences ear pain, tinnitus, hearing loss, and ear discharge. The condition makes it difficult for Rathana to hear clearly, especially when communicating with others or listening to his teachers at school. He has tried various remedies from the local pharmacy, but none have been effective. The pain and discharge cause discomfort and distract him during his studies.
Rathana traveled to our medical partner’s care center to receive treatment. On October 7th, he will undergo a mastoidectomy procedure in his right ear. During this procedure, ENT surgeons will remove the cholesteatoma. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, is requesting $477 to fund this procedure. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care.
Rathana said: “After the operation, I hope that my ear condition will be better, so that I no longer have pain and can hear what other people say more clearly.”

