Doctors at Sunrise Children's Hospital in Las Vegas perform heart surgery Thursday on Cambodian child Soksamnang Vy, who turns 1 on Sunday. Long Beach-based Hearts Without Boundaries arranged for the boy's surgery.SUCCESS: Cambodian child was brought to the U.S. by Long Beach group.
Press-Telegram Long Beach
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
12/04/2008
Thanksgiving arrived in the first week of December for a young Cambodian boy and his family.
Soksamnang Vy, who turns 1 on Sunday, had life-altering open-heart surgery at Sunrise Children's Hospital in Las Vegas on Thursday.
The boy, from an impoverished village outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was brought to the U.S. by Long Beach nonprofit Hearts Without Boundaries for the procedure, which is not readily available in his home country.
While the boy underwent surgery, his mother, Ratha Pang and extended family from Long Beach, nervously awaited news of the boy's prognosis.
Sitting close together, Pang was comforted by Madeline Lach, who had offered to host the family while it is in Las Vegas.
After being allowed to see her son in intensive care, Pang expressed her gratitude.
Through translation, Pang said she was thankful to the "doctors who could make this miracle happen. They have given my son life and I have no words to thank them. It's like a dream. I am here and my son is going to make it."
"We are truly blessed and thankful," said David Kem, Soksamnang's cousin from Long Beach, upon learning of the successful surgery. "Without the community effort, Soksamnang wouldn't have another chance at life. From the bottom of our hearts we want to thank everyone."
Soksamnang suffered from a ventricular septal defect, or a hole in the heart, a relatively common and easily repaired heart condition in the United States, but a lingering death sentence in Cambodia where access to heart-lung machines and qualified physicians is all but nonexistent, particularly to the poor.
Dr. William Evans, a cardiologist, said the procedure went smoothly and expects Soksamnang, nicknamed Lucky, to live a full, healthy life.
Evans said the defect was about about the size of a dime and in terms of severity "on a scale of one to 10 it's a three."
But he noted the defect needed to be repaired and would have shortened the child's life span and quality of life.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Michael Ciccolo.
Evans said that while he was happy to help repair Soksamnang's heart, he sees hundreds of similar conditions a year and would like to find a way to help kids where they live.
For that reason, his long-term goal, with the help of Hearts Without Boundaries, is to create a cardiac center for children in Cambodia that could eventually be staffed with locally trained doctors.
He estimated it could take a decade to make that happen.
Soksamnang is the second child brought to the United States this year by Hearts Without Boundaries, the fledgling nonprofit founded by NBC producer Peter Chhun.
The first child, 9-year-old Davik Teng, had successful surgery at Los Angeles Childrens Hospital in March and has since returned to her home village near Battambang in northwest Cambodia where she is reportedly in good health.
Soksamnang will likely spend the weekend in the hospital recovering and will be re-evaluated before returning to Long Beach.
Chhun, who couldn't attend the surgery because of a family obligation, said he was happy to hear the good news.
"I'm glad we could save another life," Chhun said. "And I need more donations to save more lives."
Those interested in Chhun's organization can visit it online at heartswitoutboundaries.org or call Peter Chhun at 818-640-6191.
Press-Telegram Long Beach
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
12/04/2008
Thanksgiving arrived in the first week of December for a young Cambodian boy and his family.
Soksamnang Vy, who turns 1 on Sunday, had life-altering open-heart surgery at Sunrise Children's Hospital in Las Vegas on Thursday.
The boy, from an impoverished village outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was brought to the U.S. by Long Beach nonprofit Hearts Without Boundaries for the procedure, which is not readily available in his home country.
While the boy underwent surgery, his mother, Ratha Pang and extended family from Long Beach, nervously awaited news of the boy's prognosis.
Sitting close together, Pang was comforted by Madeline Lach, who had offered to host the family while it is in Las Vegas.
After being allowed to see her son in intensive care, Pang expressed her gratitude.
Through translation, Pang said she was thankful to the "doctors who could make this miracle happen. They have given my son life and I have no words to thank them. It's like a dream. I am here and my son is going to make it."
"We are truly blessed and thankful," said David Kem, Soksamnang's cousin from Long Beach, upon learning of the successful surgery. "Without the community effort, Soksamnang wouldn't have another chance at life. From the bottom of our hearts we want to thank everyone."
Soksamnang suffered from a ventricular septal defect, or a hole in the heart, a relatively common and easily repaired heart condition in the United States, but a lingering death sentence in Cambodia where access to heart-lung machines and qualified physicians is all but nonexistent, particularly to the poor.
Dr. William Evans, a cardiologist, said the procedure went smoothly and expects Soksamnang, nicknamed Lucky, to live a full, healthy life.
Evans said the defect was about about the size of a dime and in terms of severity "on a scale of one to 10 it's a three."
But he noted the defect needed to be repaired and would have shortened the child's life span and quality of life.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Michael Ciccolo.
Evans said that while he was happy to help repair Soksamnang's heart, he sees hundreds of similar conditions a year and would like to find a way to help kids where they live.
For that reason, his long-term goal, with the help of Hearts Without Boundaries, is to create a cardiac center for children in Cambodia that could eventually be staffed with locally trained doctors.
He estimated it could take a decade to make that happen.
Soksamnang is the second child brought to the United States this year by Hearts Without Boundaries, the fledgling nonprofit founded by NBC producer Peter Chhun.
The first child, 9-year-old Davik Teng, had successful surgery at Los Angeles Childrens Hospital in March and has since returned to her home village near Battambang in northwest Cambodia where she is reportedly in good health.
Soksamnang will likely spend the weekend in the hospital recovering and will be re-evaluated before returning to Long Beach.
Chhun, who couldn't attend the surgery because of a family obligation, said he was happy to hear the good news.
"I'm glad we could save another life," Chhun said. "And I need more donations to save more lives."
Those interested in Chhun's organization can visit it online at heartswitoutboundaries.org or call Peter Chhun at 818-640-6191.
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