Just One Story

JUST ONE STORY....

Here is a description of the situation facing people with diabetes in many countries and whom we assist, given to us by the President of the Cambodian Diabetes Association, Dr Lim Keuky:

SOKHANN, age 50, mother of 6 children (the youngest 10 years old), can now rely only on her husband’s earnings from his  ice-cream vending bike in Srok Chhlong, Kratie province (315 km from the capital Pnom Penh).

Her doctor’s announcement was a shocking news to her: “you are suffering diabetes”.

Since then Sokhann lives along with her disease without any treatment, education and follow-up (she can neither go to a diabetic clinic, nor purchase anti-diabetic medication, (so expensive compared with her income….)

Several years later she was hospitalized at Preah Kossamak Hospital for the reason of septic shock and gangrene  of her left foot (a diabetic foot)

Amputation was very urgent to save her life.

Appropriate antibiotics for this kind of gangrene are often unavailable in hospital… and so far also with regard to insulin the hospital does not supply it.

To save Sokhann’s life, relatives must, from their own pocket, purchase insulin in a local drug store, a 10ml-vial cost (US$15 to 20)... which is equivalent to almost the family’s monthly income (average Cambodian low-income family is less than $ 2 per day ).

After amputation, insulin therapy is still needed to maintain blood glucose control for good healing of the surgery wound.

What is more dreadful is the gloomy future for Sokhann’s life, her family’s survival, and in particular, her children’s fate, because the wounds prevailing on the other foot require more care, education and follow up.

If not so, amputation will again be the only solution to save Sokhann’s life.

Just imagine then what will happen to the young children!!

Her letter of despair is a poignant call for help!