Cambodia Man with Lymphatic Filariasis

SimoneFlen' · #1 ● 10-09-2020, 09:01 AM

Bong Thet, 27, now has to drag his leg along the ground painfully as he tries to move around his family home in Kampong Chhnang province.

Having once dreamed of being a footballer, Bong has not been able to kick a ball properly since he was six years old, when the tumour first started developing.

It began to grow from small wounds on his foot, which his parents had ignored as they believed they were merely scratches from playing outside.

Businesswoman Dana Try gave 10,000,000 Cambodia Riel (around $2,500 / £1,900), which paid for his medical expenses, meaning Bong was able to visit a hospital for the first time.

At hospital, doctors checked Bong's blood and found that he has Lymphatic filariasis, a parasitic disease caused by thread-like worms.

They said it was possible that he contracted the parasites from mosquito bites, which were scratched and then bled, leading to the wounds.

The condition is one of the leading causes of disability in the world, but there is no known vaccine or cure for the disease yet.

Bong was disheartened when he learned that the disease was incurable, but he was still incredibly grateful to those who had donated money to his cause.

He said: ''This will make my life easier and knowing that there are people who care for me makes me feel happy.
''I am so grateful for them to helping. They money will pay for medicine and food.
''I will continue to take the medication given to me by the doctors which will make my life more comfortable.''