Another child of hope comes to SoCal

Chantha Bob, left, hugs Davik Teng as he greets her and Phin Ken with his 3-year-old daughter, Socheat Nha, after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on February 20, 2010. Socheat Nha and Phin Ken came to the U.S. with the help of Hearts Without Boundaries to repair two holes in her heart. The organization helped Davik get a quarter-sized hole in her heart repaired in 2008. (Jeff Gritchen / Press-Telegram)
Susan Grossfeld, left, holds the hand of 3-year-old Socheat Nha as her father, Phin Ken, holds the other after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport from Cambodia on February 20, 2010. Socheat Nha and Phin Ken came tot he U.S. with the help of Hearts Without Boundaries to repair two holes in her heart. (Jeff Gritchen / Press-Telegram)

And, Davik Teng, the original symbol of the Long Beach charity, visits again

02/20/2010
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)

Anyone interested in donating to Hearts Without Boundaries for Socheat can find information online at heartswithoutboundaries.org

LOS ANGELES --The past and present of a local nonprofit came together Saturday at Los Angeles International Airport.

Peter Chhun, the founder of Hearts Without Boundaries, the group he formed for destitute Cambodian children with heart ailments to get treatment unavailable in their country, returned to the United States with his newest (third overall) patient and, as a surprise, the girl who helped launch Chhun's nonprofit.

Davik Teng, now 11, was the first patient Chhun brought to the U.S. for life-altering surgery to repair the quarter-sized hole in her heart, called a ventricular septal defect. Davik captured the admiration of many Long Beach residents who followed her journey to the United States from a one-room hut in rural Cambodia to surgery and recovery.

Now, two years after her surgery, Chhun has brought Davik back not only for further health checks but also as a kind of object lesson to donors what their help brought.

"You can see she's very healthy," Chhun said. "This is the real thing. There are so many children who need help and (Davik is) a reminder of so many more kids who need help."

While Davik makes her rounds through Long Beach, the immediate focus will be on Socheat Nha. The 2-year-old, who turns 3 in April, suffers from a defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot. In addition to having a large hole in her heart, Socheat also suffers from a second hole, an obstruction of blood flow to the lungs and other problems.

Possibly due in part to her heart ailments, Socheat is unusually small for her age. At about 13 pounds, she is half the median weight of an American girl her age.

Like Davik, Socheat lives in poverty in rural Cambodia. Her father, Phin Ken, who is accompanying her on her trip to the U.S., is a farmer.

Arriving at Los Angeles, Ken was a bit overwhelmed by the turn of fortune for his only child.

"I never expected in my life to bring my daughter to the United States or find and organization to sponsor her," Ken said through translation.

"When she was first diagnosed, I thought I'd find a cure. But as time went by my hope disappeared," he said.

It was a chance meeting with family from Long Beach, Seyha Heang, who was visiting Cambodia with Cal State Long Beach, that brought Socheat's ailment to light and eventually to the attention of Chhun.

When Chhun learned about Socheat, he arranged for her to meet with members of the Hearts Without Boundaries and doctors from Variety Children's Lifeline who make annual trips to Cambodia to help children with mild heart ailments and diagnose and assess others.

Chhun recalls that during Socheat's examination by Dr. Paul Grossfeld, in her tiny voice the toddler said, "If the doctor doesn't help me, I will not be cured."

Chhun said as soon as he heard that, he knew he had to help the girl.

Susan Grossfeld, wife of Paul and a volunteer who was instrumental in brokering the deal that brought a Cambodian children to the U.S. last year, said she was instantly enamored of Socheat and vowed to do what she could.

And, as she did last year with Soksamnang Vy, a 1-year-old discovered by Hearts Without Boundaries last year, Susan Grossfeld was able to convince Children's Heart Center and the Sunrise Children's Hospital in Las Vegas to perform surgery and donate staff and facilities.

Initially, Hearts Without Boundaries was working with Socheat's family to raise money to send the child to Singapore or Thailand for the procedure.

However, Dr. Grossfeld, a cardiologist from Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego who helped with the successful treatment of Vy, found her ailment was worse than expected and her need for rapid treatment was evident.

Unlike Vy and Teng, who had extended stays in the U.S., Socheat's surgery is being expedited. She is scheduled to go to the Nevada hospital March 1 and, barring complications, would have surgery March 4.

"We don't want to wait any longer than necessary," Susan Grossfeld said. As Socheat's Long Beach family met the child for the first time, they were overcome by joy. Aun Kim, an aunt cuddled and held the child, while her brother Sauroun Kim looked on.

"It's a miracle," said Nisa Heang, Socheat's cousin and the sister of Seyha who found the family. "I don't know to explain it. It's like a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Or in the case of Hearts Without Boundaries, it a three-in-a-lifetime chance - and counting.

Anyone interested in donating to Hearts Without Boundaries for Socheat can find information online at heartswithoutboundaries.org.