Y Sak is a 15-year-old teenager from Kampong Thom province, Cambodia. He is the only child in his family. His father is a rice farmer, while his mother works as a tailor. Y Sak is currently in ninth grade and enjoys studying Khmer, his favorite subject. He dreams of becoming a doctor one day so he can help others. In his free time, he assists his mother with tailoring work and helps with household chores. At home, he enjoys eating stir-fried winter melon with egg.
About 18 months ago, Y Sak developed swelling on the left side of his neck, along with pain and limited movement when bending his neck forward, prompting his family to take him to a hospital in Thailand. There, he received only medication treatment. However, one month later, his condition worsened, and he developed paralysis on the left side of his body. With physiotherapy and regular home exercises managed by his grandmother, Y Sak gradually regained some movement about five months later. A follow-up cervical x-ray taken in Thailand revealed cervical spine kyphosis and stenosis, which have continued to cause pain, weakness, and limit his neck movement. He is unable to play sports with his friends, which has caused isolation and shame for him. A relative told Y Sak’s family about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), where children can receive free care.
Y Sak is scheduled for surgery on August 11th. To counteract his instability and promote long-term spinal stability, surgeons plan to do a spinal fusion with implants to hold his vertebrae in the correct position. Now, Y Sak hopes to correct his spinal deformity, relieve his pain, and improve his range of motion. CSC is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure, which will include surgery, anesthesia, medication, and post-operative physiotherapy care.
Y Sak’s father said: “After the operation, I hope that my son will no longer feel pain and will be able to move his neck more freely so he can keep up with school and friends.”