Meet 53-year-old Kok from Cambodia. “Kok is married with one daughter,” reports our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC). “He enjoys listening to monks praying.” Kok works in construction, but his condition has put a stop to his ability to support his family.
Kok has hypermature cataracts, in which the lens proteins that cloud his vision have become soft and liquefied with time. This makes his job as a construction worker impossible and limits him in activities outside of work. “He feels useless and bored staying home all day, and his wife now has an extra burden to make ends meet,” explains CSC. “He also doesn’t go places very far away.”
With $225 in funding, Kok will receive surgery to remove his cataracts and restore his vision, one eye at a time. This subsidizes the cost of the procedure, surgical supplies, hospital accommodation, food, and medication. “Kok will be able to see from his right eye and will come back in 1-2 weeks for surgery on his left eye,” says CSC.
Kok is eager to return to daily life and continue providing for his wife and daughter. CSC shares, “His main hope after receiving surgery is being able to go back to his job.”