Chhul is a 48-year-old rice farmer and part-time toddy tapper from Cambodia. He lives in Kampong Cham province with his wife, daughter and son. Both of his children attend the local school. His wife manages the household and grows various vegetables like cucumber, cabbage and turnip to augment their diet or sell at the local market. After finishing his work with the rice, he climbs palm trees to extract sap. The sap is then processed into a fermented drink called toddy, or into palm sugar for sale.
When he was 18, Chhul had an ear infection, causing the tympanic membrane, or the ear drum, in both ears to perforate. For this reason, Chhul experiences continued infections with pain and ear discharge from both ears. For the last five months, he has started to lose his hearing. He cannot communicate clearly with others and is embarrassed that he cannot understand his family members when they speak to him.
Chhul traveled to our medical partner’s care center to receive treatment. On January 28th, he will undergo a myringoplasty procedure in both ears. During this procedure, surgeons will close the perforations. Our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, is requesting $914 to fund this procedure.
Chhul said: “I hope after surgery my ears will get better and I can hear again.”

