Doctors in mountainous regions and their journey of sowing 'seeds of kindness'
(Baonghean.vn) - Without fanfare or ostentation, for many years, Dr. Thai Van Suu (born in 1961) has quietly sown seeds of kindness. For 31 years, he has devoted himself to treating patients, and he has also silently shared with many disadvantaged and unfortunate people to spread love of life.
Live with a warm heart.
When we met Dr. Thai Van Suu in Ky Tan (Tan Ky) – where he lives – the area was experiencing the first cold spells of winter. He hurriedly folded up his newly purchased warm blanket to deliver it to a needy couple living about 3 km from his house.
Dr. Sửu recounted that the couple were nearly 50 years old, and the wife was frequently ill. More than a week ago, the wife had to be rushed to the provincial hospital. Upon returning home, he and some neighbors visited and found the family only had a thin blanket, insufficient to protect them from the harsh winter cold. Therefore, on his way back, he immediately went to buy a warm, padded blanket, even though he only had 1.2 million dong left in his pocket. He thought it didn't matter how much he spent that money on those in need.
Though reserved when speaking about himself, Dr. Thai Van Suu has quietly done good deeds to help others for many years, despite his own modest circumstances. Just recently, he traveled over 35 kilometers to personally deliver a wheelchair to a poor patient, purchased with his own pension money...
According to Ms. Hong's account, while Dr. Suu was participating in the Buon Xao Festival in Tien Ky commune, a woman grabbed his hand, her eyes welling up with tears. After a moment of surprise, he listened to the woman's story and realized it was Ms. Vi Thi Toi - the biological mother of the 12-year-old girl he had successfully treated years ago.
It was the end of 1992, on a freezing winter night, while I was on duty atDepartment of Surgery of Tan Ky General Hospital (now Tan Ky District Health Center)Dr. Sửu heard the cries for help from many people. Rushing out to receive the patients, he saw a pale little girl lying on a stretcher, one leg amputated, being given first aid by her relatives using a tangle of rubber bands.
The little girl, Vi Thi Dong, from Chieng village, Tien Ky commune, was attacked by a wild boar and had her leg bitten off while gathering firewood in the forest. The village is more than 35 km away from the hospital via hilly roads, so her relatives had to carry her for more than half a day to reach the hospital; due to panic, no one remembered to bring the severed leg to be reattached.
Realizing the child was teetering on the brink of death due to excessive blood loss and exhaustion, Dr. Suu and his colleagues immediately decided on an emergency treatment plan. After more than 15 days battling with death, the child gradually recovered and was discharged from the hospital; however, the child permanently lost the left leg from the thigh down.
And then, after more than 30 years, they met again. The little girl from back then was now a middle-aged woman. However, her life was very difficult as she had to rely on her elderly parents, and her family had been a long-time poor household in Chiềng village.
Therefore, for all these years, the woman's greatest wish was to have a wheelchair so she could move around and live independently, but she was powerless to do so. Upon learning of her story, Dr. Suu immediately bought his former patient a good wheelchair. When he delivered the wheelchair to the family and saw Dong able to move around skillfully on her own, the doctor felt relieved and went home.
The quiet journey of charitable work by Doctor Sửu is continued through the story told by Ms. Cao Thị Mỹ (born in 1985) - a nurse at the Tân Kỳ District Health Center. She said: “I was born in Dong Van, into a poor family. More than 10 years ago, on my way home from work, I was unfortunately involved in a traffic accident that resulted in a fractured femur and two broken tibias, requiring me to be transferred to a central hospital for treatment. With two very young children, my husband's income unstable, and our house in a dilapidated state, on the verge of collapse, we faced many difficulties and at times felt utterly hopeless. It was then that Dr. Suu, not only fulfilling his role as the center's union president but also acting as a dedicated friend and older brother, wholeheartedly supported and helped us both materially and spiritually to overcome our hardships. In 2012, Dr. Suu proposed to the District Labor Union and appealed for support from the center's staff to build a warm and comfortable house for our family.”
Thanks to that warm support, Ms. My's family gradually stabilized their lives and confidently raised their children to become mature adults.
Dedicated to living and working.
These days, along the road leading to Tan Tien hamlet, Ky Tan commune, the more than 20 coconut trees planted by Dr. Thai Van Suu himself are growing ever greener. Not only is he respected at his workplace, but in his own village, he also receives much affection from the villagers for his enthusiastic participation in the new rural development program. He is one of six people from the hamlet who traveled all the way to Vinh Linh (Quang Tri province) to find those who had lived and formed a close bond with the people of Ky Tan for five years (1967-1972). From then on, the two villages were connected, sharing joys and sorrows and supporting each other in their current lives.
Not only did he fulfill his duties in the community, but after retiring, Dr. Suu continued to enthusiastically support emergency care and patient treatment at the Tan Ky District Health Center. Most commendably, he was a dedicated mentor who guided many technicians there to become proficient in their professional skills.
It can be said that,Anesthesia and Resuscitation TechnicianAnesthesiologist is one of the quiet but stressful jobs in the healthcare industry. An anesthesiologist needs to simultaneously ensure the operation of anesthesia machines, vital signs monitors, and the continuous supply of intravenous fluids, blood, and blood products for hours on end. Therefore, young people need guidance and support, and Dr. Suu readily shares his experience to help them grow and mature in their careers.
Following the heartfelt support received from Dr. Thai Van Suu, technicians such as Thai Khac Hoan (born in 1984), Nguyen Van Thao (born in 1987), and Hoang Thi Lieu (born in 1985)... have become more proficient in their profession and confidently perform their jobs well. Whenever they achieve success in their work, they are always silently grateful and strive tirelessly to continue working alongside Dr. Suu on his dedicated journey for the health of the people.
Having personally experienced incredibly difficult times, I understand the value of love and compassion. A teacher once told me that a doctor's job isn't just about curing physical illnesses, but also about healing emotional wounds. Small acts of encouragement and care during times of hardship and misfortune are like a balm for pain and loss, making life warmer. And I have strived to live up to my teacher's teachings, to repay life's kindness!
