Poor parents helpless when their child has leukemia

(Baonghean.vn)-meTruong Van Bao is nearly 10 years old this year - Nghia Lien hamlet, Nghia Phuc commune, Tan Ky district has been suffering from leukemia for nearly 2 years now. But his family is very poor and cannot afford to continue his treatment.

The family of Truong Van Thang (born in 1982) and Nguyen Thi Cuc (born in 1987) in Nghia Lien hamlet, Nghia Phuc commune, Tan Ky district has two children, Bao is the eldest and a two-year-old brother.In mid-2015, Bao's health suddenly declined, and his family took him to hospitals in Nghe An and Hanoi. After a bone marrow aspiration at the Central Hematology Hospital, Thang and his wife were in great pain when they learned that their son had leukemia.

His family worked in the fields all year round but did not have enough to eat. Ms. Cuc was in poor health, she had a heart disease and was constantly sick. To have money to take care of the family and treat her son, Mr. Thang worked for hire in Hung Yen all year round. But the meager income was not enough to cover the whole family's expenses.

Every month, Bao has to be hospitalized for treatment, costing nearly 10 million VND. Photo: Phuong Hao

Since discovering their son's illness, Mr. Thang's family has sold all their assets, gone bankrupt, and borrowed hundreds of millions of dong from everywhere, but the hope of saving their son is still very slim.

Every month, I take my child to the Central Hematology Hospital for check-ups, blood filtration, and medication. Each treatment costs nearly ten million, and the medication is not covered by insurance. The doctors have performed bone marrow aspiration and blood filtration five times, but Bao's health is still very weak.

For the past two months, Mr. Thang's family has requested to transfer their child to the Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital for treatment, for convenience in travel and care.

After nearly 2 years of treating their child, Mr. Thang's family, already in financial difficulty, is now even more in need, with debts piling up; they have no money to continue treatment and radiation therapy for their child. Mr. Thang and his wife helplessly watch their child suffer from illness and pain. "Seeing our child writhing and crying all day and night, fighting against the disease, with no way to save him, my husband and I are in great pain" - Ms. Cuc confided in tears.

Philanthropists support Bao's family, helping the family treat his illness. Photo: Phuong Hao

Neighbors sympathized with Bao's family situation, so they often encouraged and helped. Mr. Truong Van Trung - Head of Nghia Lien hamlet, Nghia Phuc commune said: "The family of Bao and Cuc is one of the most difficult in the locality, the son is seriously ill. The family also has an elderly mother, bedridden, so the situation is even more difficult. The local government always cares and creates conditions to help the family, but the help from the people is still meager. Meanwhile, the family is in debt of hundreds of millions of dong borrowed to treat their child's illness. We hope that benefactors will support the family to overcome the difficulties."

Phuong Hao

(Tan Ky District Party Committee)