Poor parents feel helpless as their child is diagnosed with leukemia.

(Baonghean.vn)ButMy dearTruong Van Bao, who is almost 10 years old and lives in Nghia Lien hamlet, Nghia Phuc commune, Tan Ky district, has been suffering from leukemia for nearly two years. However, his family is very poor and lacks the resources to continue his treatment.

The family of Mr. Truong Van Thang (born in 1982) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Cuc (born in 1987) in Nghia Lien hamlet, Nghia Phuc commune, Tan Ky district, has two children: Bao, the eldest, and a two-year-old younger sibling.In mid-2015, Bao's health deteriorated unusually, and his family took him to hospitals in Nghe An and Hanoi for examination. After a bone marrow biopsy at the National Hematology Hospital, Mr. and Mrs. Thang were devastated to learn that their son had leukemia.

The couple are farmers, working hard all year round but still barely making ends meet. Ms. Cúc is in poor health, suffering from heart disease and constant pain. To earn money to support the family and pay for their son's medical treatment, Mr. Thắng works as a hired laborer in Hưng Yên province year-round. However, his meager income is insufficient to cover the family's expenses.

Every month, Bảo has to be hospitalized for treatment, costing nearly 10 million VND. Photo: Phương Hảo

Since discovering their child's illness, Thang's family has sold all their assets, become penniless, and borrowed hundreds of millions of dong from everywhere, but the hope of saving their child remains very slim.

Every month, we take our child to the Central Hematology Hospital for check-ups, dialysis, and medication. Each treatment session costs nearly ten million VND, with the cost of medication not covered by insurance. Despite five bone marrow aspiration and dialysis procedures, Bảo's health remains very weak.

For the past two months, Thang's family has requested a transfer for their child to the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital for treatment, to make it easier to travel to and care for him.

After nearly two years of treatment for their child, Thang's family, already struggling financially, is now even more destitute, burdened with debt; they lack the funds to continue treatment and radiation therapy for their child. Thang and his wife helplessly watch their child suffer from the disease. "Seeing our child writhing, crying day and night, battling the illness, with no way to save him, my husband and I are heartbroken," Cuc confided, tears streaming down her face.

Philanthropists are supporting Bao's family, helping them pay for his medical treatment. Photo: Phuong Hao

Neighbors and villagers sympathize with Bao's family's situation and frequently offer encouragement and assistance. Mr. Truong Van Trung, head of Nghia Lien hamlet, Nghia Phuc commune, said: “Bao and Cuc's family is one of the most disadvantaged in the area. Their son is seriously ill, and they also have an elderly mother who is bedridden, making their situation even more difficult. The local government is always concerned and tries to help the family, but the help from neighbors is still limited. Meanwhile, the family owes hundreds of millions of dong borrowed to pay for their son's medical treatment. We sincerely hope that philanthropists will support the family to overcome their difficulties.”

Phuong Hao

(Tan Ky District Party Committee)