Pity the father and son with the same serious illness

That was the tragic situation of the family of Nguyen Van Ngoc (born in 1974), Tran Thi Thao (born in 1979) in Lien Huong hamlet, Thanh Lien commune (Thanh Chuong). In Thao's arms, Nguyen Van Bang (born in 2012) was scratching and crying hoarsely because of pain and fatigue. Inside Ngoc's room, his stomach was distended, his skin was yellow, and he was breathing weakly next to a large oxygen tank; Nguyen Thi Bich (born in 2002) was lying flat, groaning in pain from appendicitis after surgery.

Mr. Ngoc was sent home from the hospital because of terminal cancer. Photo: Dam Phuong

In early July 2017, Bang had a high fever and complained of stomachache. His family suspected that he had stomach worms, so they bought him some herbal medicine to drink, but it did not help. His fever was still high, over 39 degrees. His parents took him to the district hospital for examination and discovered that he was bleeding. He was immediately transferred to the provincial Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital. There, Bang was diagnosed with leukemia and the doctor referred him to the Central Hematology Hospital for blood and platelet transfusions.

On July 14, 2017, Bang was admitted to the pediatric hematology department - Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion with a diagnosis of acute leukemia type L2 (blood cancer). Thao and her husband were stunned by the pain.

Since then, Bang had to stay in the hospital more than at home. The first treatment regimen required him to stay for 2 months, the second for 15 days, and he went home for 15 days before going out again. The third time, Bang had to stay in the hospital for 1 month and 5 days, and the treatment cycle kept repeating. In January 2018, his second daughter complained of stomachache, headache, and chest pain. Ngoc took her to the hospital for examination. Bich was diagnosed with post-operative inflammation (she had had an appendectomy 4 years ago).

While waiting for his daughter's X-ray results, the fatigue that Mr. Ngoc had been trying to endure for so long from treating his daughter flared up again, causing severe pain in his right rib. Mr. Ngoc went through the medical examination and testing procedures and was diagnosed with liver cancer. Mr. Ngoc was transferred to the Central Oncology Hospital for treatment, but the hospital sent him home because the results confirmed that the cancer had metastasized due to late-stage cancer. Once again, Ms. Thao heard it like a thunderclap in her ears.

Bang cried all day because of the pain. Photo: Dam Phuong

In the house, there were 3 cows that had been sold, the grocery store was also sold, and she borrowed 100 million VND from the Agricultural Bank, not to mention money borrowed from relatives, money for visits, support from organizations, churches, parishes, and neighbors. Wherever she heard someone tell her, Ms. Thao immediately asked to buy it for Ngoc to drink. Recently, the tumor had ruptured, his abdomen was distended and hard, and every day, 5 liters of fluid had to be drained out. Each time, Ngoc's breathing became weaker and weaker, and his life was threatened.

Nguyen Quoc Bao, 11th grader, and Nguyen Thi Bich, 10th grader, had to ask the school to take a year off to help their mother take care of their father and younger sibling.

According to the treatment regimen, Bich and her aunt took her to Hanoi so that her mother and brother could stay home to take care of her father. At the hospital, due to the extensive chemotherapy, Bang's hair had fallen out. In addition to the pain and the longing for his parents, Bang cried all day long, causing Bich to cry too. Many times when he had a high fever, Bich was afraid that he would die and would call her mother, causing her to panic, both in pain and worry.

Mr. Nguyen Van The - Secretary of Lien Huong Party Cell said: Previously, Thao and her husband were very resourceful and quick-witted, so they had "food and savings". Since July 2017, both father and son have been seriously ill, all their money has "gone away" and they have had to borrow a large amount of money. Although the government, organizations, and Cao Dien parish in Trung Hoa have called for donations, it has not been enough. While the lives of the father and son are very fragile, the money has run out. They really need the support of the community.

Please send any support to Ms. Tran Thi Thao, Lien Huong hamlet, Thanh Lien commune, Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An. Or to the Distribution - Social Activities Department, No. 3 Le Nin Avenue, Hung Phuc ward, Vinh city, Nghe An.