Mao is a 70-year-old rice farmer from Preah Vihear province in Cambodia. In her free time, she enjoys listening to the monks pray on the radio. Mao is married and has two sons and four grandchildren. Her husband and youngest son are in the military, and her oldest son is a rice farmer.
About one year ago, Mao developed a cataract in her left eye, causing her to experience itchiness, tearing, and blurry vision. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye, so it is like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. She has difficulty seeing things clearly, including colors and faces, and is worried about falling when walking, so she is unable to go places on her own.
When Mao learned about our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Center (CSC), she traveled for 8 hours seeking treatment. On April 6th, doctors will perform a phacoemulsification cataract surgery and an intraocular lens implant in her left eye. After recovery, she will be able to see clearly. Mao can contribute $25, but needs help raising $238 more to fund her procedure and care.
Mao said, “I hope, after surgery, my eye can see clearly, I can come back to growing rice and doing housework well, and I won’t worry about my eye anymore.”
