Phoeun is a 62-year-old rice farmer from Cambodia. She has four children, six grandchildren, and enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio in her free time.
Five year ago, Phoeun developed a pterygium in left, causing her irritation, itchiness, and tearing. 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 and the cells grow abnormally over the pupil. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, recognizing faces, working, and going anywhere outside.
When Phoeun learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, she traveled for four and a half hours seeking treatment. Phoeun needs a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal conjunctiva from the cornea surface and replace it with a conjunctival graft to prevent recurrence. The total cost of her procedure is $201. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for October 09.
Phoeun said, “I hope that I will be able to see clearly, go outside on my own, and will be able to plant rice again.”