Cambodian girl finds medical hope in Denver

Leangkim Sua, 12, may finally be able to live the life she wants after finding help here in Denver.

(Photo: KUSA)

9News KUSA | 17 September 2014

It's all new for 12-year-old Leangkim Sua, as she helps make dinner in a new kitchen, in a new country-- with new hope.

"I thought it would be easy to come to America, but when I rode in that plane, it was very hard," she said.

Leangkim lives in a remote village in Cambodia. It's a place she never ventured far from, until a medical condition forced her and her family to try to find help anywhere they could.

Enter Dr. Scott Truex, an American doctor working for Cooperative Services International, a non-profit in Cambodia. He met them through their neighbors.

"They knew we were part of a hospital and they asked, 'can you help with this?'" Dr. Truex said.

"This" is a massive growth on Leangkim's back. She was born with it, but it's painful and keeps growing. It also prevents her from doing things most kids do.

"I want to go to school, I want to play with my friends at home, but I can't," she said.

Dr. Truex said the medical community in Cambodia has limited capabilities.

"There's not the ability to treat this kind of thing in Cambodia," he said.

So, began Leangkim's journey, as Dr. Truex and her family sought help in nearby Vietnam, then South Korea and China.

However, a doctor from Denver happened to be visiting Cambodia and heard about Leangkim's case. He told Dr. Truex he knew someone in Denver.

"I called him and he said, 'Yeah, I think we can help," Dr. Truex said.

That person turned out to be Dr. Wayne Yakes, director of the Vascular Malformation Center, at Swedish Medical Center.

"In this area, there's not many people totally involved and focused in this," Dr. Yakes said.

After getting visas to travel, Leangkim and her father finally made it to Denver and met Dr. Yakes for the first time this week.

"I want her to know, to be assured, that every decision I make, is like she's my daughter, too," Dr. Yakes told them during their first meeting.

On Wednesday morning, Dr. Yakes performed the first of several procedures on Leangkim, which will be needed to treat and remove the growth. It's a process that could take months.

Her father said he's been overwhelmed by the generosity of complete strangers.

"America is just a lot better than Cambodia as far as medical care," said Chantah Phon, Leangkim's father. "In Cambodia, there was no hope for getting any treatment. I'm so thankful to Dr. Yakes."

It's a journey of thousands upon thousands of miles, which everyone involved hopes, will be rewarded with the bright smile of a little girl.

"I'm very happy," Leangkim said. "I hope I'll be healed."

It could take up to six months of procedures and surgeries to remove the growth. Dr. Yakes is donating his time and practice, as are several other doctors and Swedish is paying for their living expenses while they are here.