By RON WORD
Associated Press Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --She struggled through the murder of her father, homelessness and abandonment. Now the 12-year-old Cambodian girl is recovering after surgeons here successfully removed a lemon-size tumor from beneath her brain.
Buntheep Chun, a wisp of a girl with dark eyes, a small voice and a slight smile, is staying at Ronald McDonald House after receiving several surgeries, including one lasting about 20 hours at Wolfson Children's Hospital.
Buntheep began experiencing vision problems in October while staying at the Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry. A local optometrist diagnosed her with lazy eye and gave her glasses. But her vision continued to grow worse.
A CT scan showed she had a tumor filling her head, said Gioia Michelotti, the school's director who accompanied Buntheep to the United States and serves as her "Mommy" and translator.
"The doctor said, 'If you don't get her across the ocean for help right away, she may not make it at all. She is going to die,'" Michelotti said.
She and Buntheep, who has earned the nickname "Bo Peep" at the children's hospital, boarded a flight from Phnom Penh to Chicago, without knowing where the girl could receive treatment, but trusting in God.
After landing in Chicago, they were notified that doctors and nurses at Wolfson would donate their time and services for free. The procedures would have cost about $1 million, hospital officials said.
"We are so fortunate that God brought us to a place like this," Michelotti said.
Buntheep arrived Nov. 14 and was taken to the Children's Emergency Center, where she was met by Dr. Philipp Aldana, a pediatric neurosurgeon.
After an MRI, Buntheep was diagnosed with a giant cell granuloma, a rare, benign tumor that had gotten so large that it had broken through the bones protecting the brain.
The next day, pediatric craniofacial and skull-base surgeon, Dr. Saswata Roy, and Aldana biopsied the tumor and removed part of it.
"Her condition was quite serious. She was blind in her right eye, her left eye vision was deteriorating, and she had a large tumor occupying the space in front of her brainstem, pushing on all the major blood vessels to her brain and the nerves to her face," Aldana said.
On. Dec. 6, a team of doctors and nurses performed 20 hours of surgery on Buntheep. The procedure called for removing her forehead, the upper part of the eye sockets, base of the skull, nasal bones and sinuses and the back of the septum, just to reach the tumor.
Aldana removed the tumor, piece by piece, while working to contain bleeding and damage to nerves.
After the surgery, Roy reconstructed the child's face and fascia from her leg to rebuild the base of the skull.
Buntheep, who had been hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Wolfson, required another surgery Dec. 12, after cerebrospinal fluid was found in her brain cavity.
She struggled with headaches, dizziness and nausea, but doctors said she never complained. Finally, she was able to sit up in bed and walk.
She was released to Ronald McDonald House on Jan. 11, but she will spend about three months in Florida before returning to Cambodia so doctors can monitor her recovery.
At the Ronald McDonald House, she's been playing a piano and a guitar that a volunteer loaned her. The girl doesn't speak English, but has been enjoying the movies and books available at the facility, Michelotti said.
She also said Buntheep is worried that she will fall behind on her school work and her dream of becoming a teacher.
The child has regained most of her vision in her left eye and doctors are hopeful that the right eye will also improve.
Next on her agenda is a trip to a shopping mall, which is being furnished by the Dreams Come True Foundation.
The child has lived a challenging life. When she was 3-year-old, her father, a soldier, was shot and killed by a thief who took his motorcycle.
Her mother had to eventually sell their home to get money for food and clothing. They became homeless and she was sent to live with relatives.
When she was 9-years-old, she and her older brother were taken to Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry School, where she was chosen to play the part of Molly in the musical, "Annie."
"She is a trooper. She's the real hero. Never once did I hear her complain," Roy said.
Buntheep Chun, a wisp of a girl with dark eyes, a small voice and a slight smile, is staying at Ronald McDonald House after receiving several surgeries, including one lasting about 20 hours at Wolfson Children's Hospital.
Buntheep began experiencing vision problems in October while staying at the Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry. A local optometrist diagnosed her with lazy eye and gave her glasses. But her vision continued to grow worse.
A CT scan showed she had a tumor filling her head, said Gioia Michelotti, the school's director who accompanied Buntheep to the United States and serves as her "Mommy" and translator.
"The doctor said, 'If you don't get her across the ocean for help right away, she may not make it at all. She is going to die,'" Michelotti said.
She and Buntheep, who has earned the nickname "Bo Peep" at the children's hospital, boarded a flight from Phnom Penh to Chicago, without knowing where the girl could receive treatment, but trusting in God.
After landing in Chicago, they were notified that doctors and nurses at Wolfson would donate their time and services for free. The procedures would have cost about $1 million, hospital officials said.
"We are so fortunate that God brought us to a place like this," Michelotti said.
Buntheep arrived Nov. 14 and was taken to the Children's Emergency Center, where she was met by Dr. Philipp Aldana, a pediatric neurosurgeon.
After an MRI, Buntheep was diagnosed with a giant cell granuloma, a rare, benign tumor that had gotten so large that it had broken through the bones protecting the brain.
The next day, pediatric craniofacial and skull-base surgeon, Dr. Saswata Roy, and Aldana biopsied the tumor and removed part of it.
"Her condition was quite serious. She was blind in her right eye, her left eye vision was deteriorating, and she had a large tumor occupying the space in front of her brainstem, pushing on all the major blood vessels to her brain and the nerves to her face," Aldana said.
On. Dec. 6, a team of doctors and nurses performed 20 hours of surgery on Buntheep. The procedure called for removing her forehead, the upper part of the eye sockets, base of the skull, nasal bones and sinuses and the back of the septum, just to reach the tumor.
Aldana removed the tumor, piece by piece, while working to contain bleeding and damage to nerves.
After the surgery, Roy reconstructed the child's face and fascia from her leg to rebuild the base of the skull.
Buntheep, who had been hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Wolfson, required another surgery Dec. 12, after cerebrospinal fluid was found in her brain cavity.
She struggled with headaches, dizziness and nausea, but doctors said she never complained. Finally, she was able to sit up in bed and walk.
She was released to Ronald McDonald House on Jan. 11, but she will spend about three months in Florida before returning to Cambodia so doctors can monitor her recovery.
At the Ronald McDonald House, she's been playing a piano and a guitar that a volunteer loaned her. The girl doesn't speak English, but has been enjoying the movies and books available at the facility, Michelotti said.
She also said Buntheep is worried that she will fall behind on her school work and her dream of becoming a teacher.
The child has regained most of her vision in her left eye and doctors are hopeful that the right eye will also improve.
Next on her agenda is a trip to a shopping mall, which is being furnished by the Dreams Come True Foundation.
The child has lived a challenging life. When she was 3-year-old, her father, a soldier, was shot and killed by a thief who took his motorcycle.
Her mother had to eventually sell their home to get money for food and clothing. They became homeless and she was sent to live with relatives.
When she was 9-years-old, she and her older brother were taken to Cambodian Christian Arts Ministry School, where she was chosen to play the part of Molly in the musical, "Annie."
"She is a trooper. She's the real hero. Never once did I hear her complain," Roy said.
3 comments:
Thank you to all God people for making this miracle possible!
God bless you and thanks for all doctors and coordinator for hrlping her. Khmer oversea
Would like to take this opportunity for the organization and the medical team for saving and giving Cambodian young girl a chance of leading normal life as many of us do.
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