via CAAI News Media
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/16/2010
From left, Jill and Joanna Ung, Peter Chhun, Julie Ung, Phin Ken and Socheat Nha meet at Sophy s Restaurant after the three Ung sisters raised $1,291 going door-to-door to help support Socheat, who will undergo open-heart surgery next week. (Photo courtesy Peter Chhun)
LONG BEACH - Saturday a Cambodian toddler and her father embark on a trip for perilous but potentially life-extending surgery in the Dominican Republic.
They take with them the hopes and prayers of a community of supporters. Before Socheat Nha and her father, Phin Ken, took to the skies, they were given yet another emotional lift from well-wishers.
Sisters Julie, 13, Joanna, 11, and Jill, 10, Ung decided they wanted to help Socheat after following story.
The three first decided to break into their piggy banks and make an offering. Then, since they were on spring break with not much to do, the girls created posters, decorated a donation box and decided to go door-to-door to raise funds for Socheat's surgery and travel for open heart surgery.
On Wednesday at Sophy's Restaurant the three girls shyly handed Peter Chhun, the head of the charity sponsoring Socheat, a decorated shoe box with the donations.
When Joanna told Chhun they had raised $1,291, he was struck almost speechless by the gift. Later Chhun said he continues to be amazed at the generosity of spirit that has come from all corners to help Socheat and the mission of his nonprofit "Hearts Without Boundaries," which helps Cambodian children with heart defects receive surgeries unavailable to them in their home country.
Socheat is the third, and thus far most problematic of the children Chhun's group has helped. The first two, Davik Teng and Soksamnang Vy, sailed through their surgeries and have recovered fully.
Socheat's journey has been more difficult. She has a more complicated heart ailment than the others. Doctors in Las Vegas who had agreed to do the procedure canceled after examining Socheat, saying the procedure was too risky.
However, thoracic surgeon William Novick, who specializes in treating heart patients in third-world countries, offered the services of his group, the International Children's Heart Foundation, which is performing surgeries in the Dominican Republic next week.
Socheat's surgery is risky and her father had to make a difficult decision to put his child at risk, but knows without surgery there is no cure for Socheat in Cambodia.
The girl, who just turned 3 on Wednesday, is to undergo tests and surgery early in the week, although a date hasn't been set.
greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291
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