Som is a 78-year-old retired rice farmer from Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. Her husband passed away last year due to hypertension, and she lives with her oldest daughter, who is a grocery seller. She also has three sons, who are all rice farmers, as well as 20 lovely grandchildren. In her free time, Som enjoys listening to Buddhist radio and chatting with her neighbors.
About one year ago, Som developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Som has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she cannot go places on her own.
When Som learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. On April 7th, doctors will perform a small incision cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Som contributed $100 to her care and needs help raising $153 more to fund the surgery.
Som shared: “I hope I can have this operation so I can recognize people, go out on my own, and help my daughter take care of her children while she is busy with her business.”

