Meet Tevy, a 13-year-old student from Cambodia. She is in eighth grade, and her favorite subject is math. She has a younger brother in fourth grade, and her family lives four hours outside of the capital city in a sparsely populated town. Her parents work in the local government. In the future, Tevy hopes to become a teacher. Until then, her favorite activities in her free time are watching TV and eating her mom’s amazing chicken recipes!
Tevy was born prematurely and diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age three. She has had some physiotherapy but is currently finding it more difficult to walk due to her knee flexion, thus impacting her mobility. She also experiences social anxiety in school and around her peers.
She visited our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre (CSC), where the surgeons determined that an osteotomy and patella advance in both legs will help her walk without needing support. This will include lengthening the muscles behind the knees (the hamstrings and calf muscles) through an injection of Botox into the spastic muscle, causing it to partially relax as she heals. CSC is requesting $485 for this procedure, which covers the surgery, hospitalization, and post-op physiotherapy costs. Tevy’s family has gathered $100 to contribute to her care.
Tevy’s father shared: “We are worried my daughter will stop going to school even though she is good in school. I hope she can walk better than before and continue her studies.”
