Lan is a 63-year-old fisherman from Cambodia. He has three sons, five daughters, and ten grandchildren. Lan lives with his wife and enjoys keeping up with the news in his free time.
Five years ago, Lan developed a pterygium in right, causing him burning, irritation, tearing, redness, and discomfort with his appearance. 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.
When Lan learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, he traveled for more than two and a half hours with his wife seeking treatment. Lan 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 his procedure is $216. This covers medications, supplies, and inpatient care for two days. The procedure is scheduled for August 11th.
Lan said, “I hope after the pterygium is removed I can feel comfortable again and go fishing more to support my family.”