A young man has been left with an untreatable disease after getting bitten by a mosquito.
27-year-old Bong Thet from Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia, has been left with a painful condition after presumably getting bitten by an infected mosquito when he was just 6 years old.
While Mr. Thet once dreamed of becoming a footballer, he is now struggling to walk due to his left leg swelling up to five times its normal size.
According to the young man, his lumps grew in size after he had developed small wounds that he and his parents originally thought to be nothing more than minor injuries sustained during playtime.
By the time Thet was 12-year-old, his foot lumps had spread and covered his entire leg. Due to the family’s poverty, however, his parents, who worked at a factory, couldn’t afford to have their son properly checked and treated.
Eventually, Thet was forced to quit school as he had troubles walking and was constantly bullied and teased because of his unusual condition.
After suffering from the disease for more than two decades, the young man finally got the chance to be properly diagnosed after generous people offered financial help.
One of the Good Samaritans is entrepreneur Dana Try who reportedly donated over $2,000 to pay for Thet’s medical expenses.
Following his first visit to the hospital, the 27-year-old was told he has been suffering from a parasitic disease known as Lymphatic filariasis.
The disease is caused by microscopic worms which Thet, according to the doctors, most likely contracted when he was bitten by a mosquito over two decades ago.
What the family at the time thought to be wounds caused by playing were likely infected mosquito bites that Thet had scratched.
While the young man feels relieved to finally know what he’s dealing with, there is sadly no known cure or vaccine for the devastating disease.
“This will make my life easier and knowing that there are people who care for me makes me feel happy. I am so grateful for them to help. The money will pay for medicine and food,” Thet said.
“I will continue to take the medication given to me by the doctors which will make my life more comfortable.”
Replaced!