Davik's Heart

Millikan students help Cambodian boy here for surgery

2008-11-27T01:06:01Z

Millikan High students donated money to the family of a Cambodian boy who has come to the United States for life-saving heart surgery. Hearts Without Boundaries, the same organization that brought Davik Teng to the U.S. for her surgery, arranged the trip.

Read the story at the Long Beach City College Viking

Peter's report Part 2

2008-08-13T00:43:58Z

Peter Chhun, founder of Hearts Without Boundaries, continues the tale of his trip back to Cambodia to return Davik Teng back to her home village in Cambodia after her successful open heart surgery in the United States.

The_Journey_Home-Pt.2.pdf

Peter's report

2008-08-06T22:52:51Z

Davik Teng returned to her home village of Svay Chrom last month. Peter Chhun, founder of Hearts Without Boundaries, filed this report about bringing Davik and her mother, Sin Chhon, back to their village.

The_Journey_Home-Pt.1[1].pdf

The Road Home

2008-07-13T16:06:45Z

The final chapter of Davik is up. Click here to watch it>>

Back to Cambodia

2008-07-11T09:16:04Z

Davik Teng, 9, solemnly walks through the Tom Bradley Terminal at Los Angeles International (LAX) Airport on her way to her flight home late Wednesday, July 9, 2008.

   Shrugging into a pink Disney princesses backpack and toting a rolling carry-on bag with a stuffed elephant and a small American flag, Davik Teng said goodbye to a group of about a dozen friends at Los Angeles International Airport and boarded a flight bound for Cambodia.
   Davik was accompanied by her mother, Sin Chhon, Hearts Without Boundaries president Peter Chhun, and vice president, Lucky Chhuon, and Chantha Bob, who played a pivotal role in locating the 9-year-old Cambodian girl.
   Davik received a number of gifts and cash and plenty of hugs and tears before departing. She now returns to her tiny home village on the outskirts of Battambang City in Cambodia. The one-room bamboo hut where Davik lives has no electricity, running water or bathrooms. She will return to the embrace of about 20 cousins, aunts, uncles, a grandfather and grandaunt.
   Davik was brought to the United States for life-altering open-heart surgery, which was performed in March.
   The Press-Telegram will have a wrap-up story with photos and multimedia which will be in Sunday's newspaper and on-line.

Davik's Last Dance

2008-07-07T06:03:03Z

Davik Teng holds on to Peter Chhun as as he talks about her impending trip back home to Cambodia.

Last Dance with Davik

2008-07-04T00:13:09Z

LONG BEACH -- Friends and supporters of Davik Teng will have a last chance to say good-bye before she and her mom return to their home in Cambodia next week.
Hearts Without Borders, the Long Beach nonprofit that found the 9-year-old with the heart defect and brought her to the Southland for open-heart surgery, will play host to a final benefit for Davik and her mom, Sin Chhon, Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at Golden Villa Restaurant, 1360 E. Anaheim St.
The cost of the dinner, which will be a Khmer buffet prepared by Sophy's Restaurant, is $25. The event will include Khmer music. Money from the event will help Hearts Without Boundaries bring another sick Cambodian child to the U.S.
Davik was discovered in a remote village outside of Battambang City in Cambodia. She suffered from a heart condition called a septal defect, also known as a hole in her heart, that was the size of quarter.
Because the blood did not effectively flow through her heart she suffered from shortness of breath and fatigue. As the conditioned worsened, she faced the likelihood a life of decreasing quality and likely ending in an early death.
Only open-heart surgery would improve her condition. After attempts to have the procedure performed in Cambodia failed, Hearts Without Boundaries negotiated with Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, which donated its facilities and staff to perform the surgery.
Davik underwent the procedure March 24. She has since been cleared to travel and will fly back to Cambodia July 10.
After Davik returns home, Hearts Without Boundaries hopes to find another child to save. The organization is currently negotiating with local hospitals for its next ailing child.
Information about the "Last Dance With Davik" can call Peter Chhun at 818-640-6191 or Lakhena Chhuon 562-397-5513.

Greg Mellen

"I'm going to Disneyland"

2008-06-21T01:09:54Z

Davik Teng. You've come all the way from a bamboo hut in rural village in Cambodia to Los Angeles to have life-altering surgery.... What are you going to do now?

"I'm going to Disneyland!"

Davik fundraising dinner draws 350 people

2008-04-29T05:25:35Z

LONG BEACH - A full house of 350 residents and supporters filled Hak Heang Restaurant in Long Beach for a fundraising dinner to celebrate Davik Teng, a 9-year-old girl from a remote village in Cambodia who is recovering from open-heart surgery.

An emotional Peter Chhun, who organized Friday's event and is the founder of the nonprofit that sponsored Davik's journey to the United States, thanked the community for the outpouring of support, which will go to the child's continued care.

"From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your hearts to help me give Davik a new heart," Chhun told the crowd.

"Two-and-a-half months ago I cried," Chhun said of his emotions when he first saw Davik's impoverished village. "Two-

and-a-half months later, I still cry."

Davik, who underwent the surgery a month ago, beamed as she circulated among tables in a traditional green Cambodian dress. Posing for pictures and steepling her fingers and bowing in the traditional Cambodian greeting, Davik showed no ill effects from the surgery that repaired a large hole in her heart known as a ventricular septal defect.

Dr. Mark Sklansky, the cardiologist from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles who has been treating Davik, was one of the guests in attendance and was presented with a plaque from Davik and Chhun. Previously Sklansky has said although Davik's recovery has gone very well, her heart still needs to become stronger.

Remembering April 17

2008-04-18T05:06:14Z

Sin Chhon wipes tears from her eyes and she and her daughter, Davik Teng, listen to stories about the khmer Rouge during a candle light vigil at a Buddhist Temple in Long Beach on April 17, 2008.

April 17 is the day the Khmer Rouge captured the Phnom Penh.

Wikipedia: The Khmer Rouge is remembered mainly for the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million people (estimates range from 850,000 to two million) under its regime, through execution, starvation and forced labor. Following their leader Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge imposed an extreme form of social engineering on Cambodian society—a radical form of agrarian communism where the whole population had to work in collective farms or forced labor projects.

on the tube

2008-04-17T15:41:35Z

Davik story will be highlighted on the Today show on the morning of April 18

and

Peter Chhun, the founder of Hearts without Boundries, and an NBC producer will be featured in the NBC Nightly News in the Making a Difference segment on Friday, April 18

Fundraiser

2008-04-16T01:30:50Z

Hearts without Boundries is hosting a dinner to raise money for Davik and future projects.

Friday, April 25th

7:00pm to 12 midnight

Hak Heang Restaurant

2041 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804

Dinner featuring Cambodian & Chinese cuisine will be served, accompanied by a live band.

$35 per person - $25 students with ID

RSVP TO: Organizing Committee Member below

Tickets can be purchased at

Belmont Shore Travel and Tours, 744 Redondo Ave., Long Beach, CA 90804 Tel: (562) 439-2129

Sophy’s Restaurant, 3720 E. Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804 Tel: (562) 494-1763

Farmers Insurance, 818 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA 90813 Tel: (562) 951-1813

For more information contact organizing committee

Peter Chhun (818) 640-6191 Chantha (Bobby) Bob (310) 864-3122 Lakhena Chhuon (562) 397-5513

Danny Vong (562) 760-9000 Peter Long (562) 572-7407 Tina Thuch (562) 266-6278 David Kem (562) 544-9627

Click here to dowlnload the pdf

Happy New Year

2008-04-06T05:28:27Z

Davik Teng, 9, sits atop a car as she and her mother, Sin Chhon, ride in the Cambodian New Year parade. Peter Chhun, right, founded Hearts Without Boundaries, and Chantha Bob, left, is a waiter a Sophy's Restaurant. Chantha met Teng in Cambodia and introduced her to Chhun.

Home away from Home

2008-04-05T06:09:39Z

Davik's second home in Long Beach is Sophy's Restaurant - so it's no surprise that she wanted her first restaurant meal after surgery at the Cambodian-Thai eatery.

She was released from the hospital a week ago.

still more multimedia

2008-03-29T17:06:19Z

The fourth chapter in the Davik saga, "the surgery" is up and ready for viewing.

click here>>