A Support Group for Sopha

Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing silent killers in Cambodia, particularly among the low-income elderly population. Yet, most Cambodians are not familiar with diabetes, its causes or its treatment.

We caught up with Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope (SHCH) diabetic patient Mrs. Phuong Sopha when she attended our diabetes support group last week. Sopha comes from the small town of Kompong Cham, around a three-hour drive from Phnom Penh.

Like many people with diabetes, her first symptoms were mild and concerning at first – hunger and thirst, fatigue, frequent urination. Gradually she began to suffer from blurred vision and noticed she was losing weight quickly. Now concerned, Sopha began visiting a local clinic where she was promptly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2. Unfortunately, the staff at the clinic were unable to find a medication regime that could control her diabetes, and the fees were too expensive, so Sopha began drinking teas of traditional Khmer medicine. The traditional medicine did nothing to help her illness, and Sopha became desperate.

Sopha's neighbor urged her to visit SHCH, having heard about the donor-funded diabetes screening and treatment program here. On her first visit to the Hospital, Sopha received a full workup and counseling. Through monthly follow-up visits, Sopha and her SHCH clinicians have found a treatment plan that works for her, and she doesn't mind making the six-hour round trip to get the care she needs.

She plans her follow-up appointments so that she can join the diabetes support group on the same day, which she finds helpful. "The nurses give us strategies to stay healthy, even with diabetes," she explained. "How to eat healthy, what are the bad habits we need to stop when to get our blood tests." The most valuable part of the support group? "I hear from other people with diabetes, and I know that I'm not alone. It's hard to have this illness, but it's easier when we work together."

Following the advice of her SHCH doctors and nurses, Sopha now feels and looks healthy again. She wants to spread the word about diabetes to all Cambodians; so that patients can catch it early or even prevent it. SHCH is already active in the fight, ensuring that patients like Sopha have the help they need.