 |
| In this file photo, three year-old Bunlak Song arrives at Los Angeles International Airport of Cambodia on March 6, 2011. Bunlak Song was brought to the United States by Hearts Without Boundaries, a Long Beach, Calif.-based non-profit group, to help repair his heart. (Jeff Gritchen / Staff Photographer) |
NONPROFIT: Bunlak, 4, had life-saving surgery.
11/07/2011
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)
LONG BEACH - A 4-year-old Cambodian boy brought to the United States for life-extending open-heart surgery will board a jetliner with his sister Tuesday to return to his homeland.
Bunlak Song was cleared to travel recently and his older sister, Bunkek, 24, is eager to get back home to their family eight months after arriving in the U.S.
"We had a lot of twists and turns, but guess what, we had a lot of support," said Peter Chhun, whose nonprofit Hearts Without Boundaries sponsored the boy.
Bunlak suffered from a birth defect known as a ventricular septal defect, or a hole in his heart. Although the defect was diagnosed early in Bunlak's life, he and the family that adopted him at birth lacked access to surgery in their homeland.
The defect is relatively common and typically fixed in the first year of life in the United States. Bunlak's case was complicated because it was a large hole, about two centimeters, and his lungs were damaged from the lack of care.
Bunlak underwent surgery Oct. 7 and was released 10 days later.
The journey that finally landed Bunlak at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and into the care of Dr. Cynthia Herrington was at turns maddening, frustrating and miraculous.
Chhun, founder of Hearts Without Boundaries, brought the ailing boy to the United States before securing a commitment for the surgery. After months of negotiating and, finally, with the help of Pasadena obstetrician Dr. Shaun
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advertisement
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grady, a deal was made with Children's Hospital.
Bunlak is the fourth child the fledgling Long Beach nonprofit has brought to the U.S. for lifesaving heart surgeries. Three are back in Cambodia living healthy lives, where once they faced the bleak prospect of lingering death sentences.
"This was quite an interesting journey," Chhun said. "We learned a lot. There's no way we could have done this alone. From the bottom of our hearts we thank (supporters) for joining us on this incredible journey."
Chhun will accompany Bunlak and Bunkek on their trip. He will then begin preparing for a January mission to Cambodia that his organization will cosponsor with Variety Children's Lifeline. In the mission, U.S. doctors will perform open-heart procedures there, rather than having the children brought to the U.S.
greg.mellen@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1291
1 comment:
Decho Hun Sen, Mr Sam Rainsy asked you to sue him at a French court about your murders of the Khmer people. Why don't you dare to do it as you have done at the Cambodian court?
Being a strong man as well as a Prime Minister of one country, you should not be coward to face the real justice at a French court or International court. Unless, you are the real murderer in Cambodia that is the reason why you fear Mr Sam Rainsy at a real and fair justice court.
Decho Hun Sen, you rubbed the Cambodian people's well being, health care, dignity and sell Cambodia out to Vietnam in a cheap price as long as you can stay in power. Isn't that true, Samdach Decho Hun Sen?
How many Cambodian people's lives have you killed in your lifetime so far? Can you be honest to tell the truth?
As one Prime Minister of one country, you job is to bully your own people for just talking about Paris Peace agreement 1991 and about Vietnam's encroachments into Cambodia's territory. Why?
Samdach Decho Hun Sen, Why are you so scared of the truth? Why are you so scared of Mr Sam Rainsy when he asked you to sue him at a French court? You are a strong man as you claimed on the TV screen?
Samdach Decho Hun Sen, you shouldn't be scared of Mr Sam Rainsy because Mr Sam Rainsy has no weapon of mass destruction as you do. You are the murderer; you must be strong to face Mr Sam Rainsy at a French court as Mr Sam Rainsy has invited you to do so.
Samdach Decho billion dollars Hun Sen, Please face Mr Sam Rainsy as Mr Sam Rainsy has invited you through the world media. You used to win on Mr Sam Rainsy many times in a Cambodian court of justice. There is no reason why you should be worred about...if you have never killed anyone in Cambodia. Isn’t it true, Decho Sen?
The Cambodian people hope to see Samdach Decho Hun Sen has the gut as a leader or a man to sue Mr Sam Rainsy at a French court as Mr Sam Rainsy has invited Samdach Decho many times through Radio and world media.
Be a man Decho Sen! One in your life be a man Decho Sen! Be a man to face Mr Sam Rainsy at France court and international court.
We are personal bodyguards of Samdach Decho would like to see Decho Hun Sen be a man with Mr Sam Rainsy at a French Court. Otherwise, Samdach Decho is not worthy to protect because why do we have to die for protecting a traitor, a murderer, a blood sucker. Isn’t it true, Samdach Decho Hun Sen? Do you agree with that?
Post a Comment