Panha is a 25-year-old man with a love for music. He also “enjoys helping his wife at home and watching movies on TV,” shares our medical partner in Cambodia, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC).
In recent months, Panha has been dealing with lingering pain from a serious accident. While driving his motorcycle this past December, “Panha had a head-on collision with another moto,” CSC explains. “The accident caused an open left tibia fracture, a closed left femur fracture, and a finger and wrist fracture in his left hand.”
Although his leg was put in a cast immediately after the crash, Panha’s wrist and finger injuries were not diagnosed at the time. As time went on, he noticed that he was having trouble using his left hand, and was experiencing pain in his wrist. He traveled two hours with his wife to another hospital, where he learned of his undiagnosed fractures.
In order to regain basic function in his left hand, Panha needs to undergo a procedure known as open reduction and internal fixation surgery on his left hand and wrist. In this two-part operation, doctors will first move the fractured bone back to its proper place, then will insert a device to keep the bone in place.
Panha cannot afford this surgery on his salary as an enlistee in the military. But we can help him out. $405 will cover the operation he needs, as well as physical therapy after his surgery. CSC will also check to make sure Panha’s leg is healing properly.
Panha looks forward to regaining use of his hand. “I hope after surgery I can hold things with my hand and my arm won’t feel so painful,” he tells us.
