Mon is a 73-year-old retired rice farmer from Kampong Speu, Cambodia. She is married and has one son, five daughters, and eight grandchildren. Now, she lives with her husband, who is also retired from rice farming, and with her youngest daughter, who is a garment worker. During her free time, she likes to listen to monks pray on the radio.
Five years ago, Mon developed a pterygium in her left eye, causing her itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. Pterygiums are non-cancerous growths of the conjunctiva, a mucous layer that lubricates the eye. The growths occur when the conjunctiva is exposed to excessive sun damage, wind, or dust, and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside.
When Mon learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for three hours seeking treatment. Mon needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The cost of her procedure is $298, and it is scheduled for September 2nd.
Mon said, “I hope that after surgery, my eye will not be irritated and tearing anymore. I feel happy and don’t worry about my eye anymore. I hope I can recognize people more easily.”