AHC’s Eye Clinic Appeal “Giving children the gift of sight”

At the hospital, we continuously look for ways to use our funds so that the maximum number of children can be helped, especially when their alternatives for treatment are limited or non-existent. Of the 19 departments at the hospital which cover the spectrum of care, one department continues to operate at capacity and where we must still turn away 40% of the children that come in daily to receive treatment.

The services provided at our Eye Care Clinic are specialized services which are generally not available elsewhere in Siem Reap and surrounding communities. The eye clinic and oncology department work together in the treatment of young children with serious eye cancer, Retinoblastoma. The treatment is complicated and continues for several years. AHC is the only hospital outside of Phnom Penh treating these children. The clinic also treats many children with significant eye injuries and congenital problems as well.

Annual funding for the Eye Care Clinic was significantly and unexpectedly reduced starting July 1, 2025, due to changes in U.S. foreign aid policy. As a result, several longtime supporters of the hospital have cut back their funding to our hospital in the latter half of 2025. We are now facing an annual shortfall of $220,000, and we need to raise about US$110,000 by December 31 to cover this year’s funding gap. For 2027 and beyond, we are seeking new, sustainable funding sources to replace the reduced support. The goal of this appeal is to raise $330,000 to cover the 2025 and 2026 shortfall. Thank you so much for your generous donations.