The tragic circumstances of a child in Quynh Luu suffering from a serious heart condition.

These days, Ms. Le Thi Hoa and her husband take turns staying by the side of their son, Van Duc Vinh, who is suffering from a serious illness and is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit - Toxicology Department of Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. Sitting in the hallway waiting for visiting hours, Ms. Hoa said that Vinh has been hospitalized for almost a month now and relies entirely on the care of the doctors and nurses. Each day, the family is only allowed to visit him briefly in the intensive care unit.

Vinh looks thin and pale, clearly suffering from a serious illness. At six years old, his physical development is stunted, and he is malnourished, weighing only 14kg and having difficulty walking. Every time he cries, his whole body turns blue and he faints.

It's even more heartbreaking to hear Ms. Hoa recount her family's incredibly tragic circumstances. In 2002, she and her husband joyfully welcomed their first son, Van Duc Th. At six months old, Th. began exhibiting unusual symptoms such as diarrhea and pneumonia. His body weakened, and he passed away after only four days of treatment at the hospital. In 2009, Ms. Hoa and her husband suffered another shock when their daughter, Van Thi H. (just five months old), died with the same symptoms as her unfortunate brother. Then, in 2011, their daughter, Van Thi Ph., was born three months later and showed similar signs. About two years later, she gave birth to Van Duc M., and once again, helplessly watched him leave this world at four months old, sharing the same fate as his three older siblings.

“In nine years, I lost four beloved children one after another. Thinking about the moment I had to leave each of them, the children I gave birth to, breaks my heart. I always pray that if they are reborn in the next life, they will be healthy and safe,” said Ms. Hoa, her voice choked with emotion.

In 2017, upon learning she was pregnant again, Ms. Hoa was both happy and worried. She regularly went for monthly checkups and felt somewhat reassured that the fetus was developing normally. However, in the fifth month, all hope vanished when the doctor concluded that the fetus had a heart problem. Distressed and anxious, the couple still tried to encourage each other, hoping to be a support for their child and hoping for a miracle.

When baby Van Duc Vinh was born, his body was cyanotic, and he was rushed to a hospital in Hanoi for emergency treatment. Doctors diagnosed him with lysosomal storage disease (also known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This is a rare and serious disease. If not treated promptly or with the wrong treatment protocol, complications could arise, and his life could be threatened at any moment. To keep their son alive, twice a month, Ms. Hoa and her husband take him to Hanoi for treatment. Recently, due to extreme poverty, the family had to have their son treated at a provincial hospital. The couple takes turns staying by his side and working odd jobs whenever they can to earn money for their son's medication.

"Vinh is the hope of our family, so no matter how difficult things get, my husband and I will try our best. Recently, the complications from his illness have made Vinh's health very weak, so my husband and I take turns staying by his side. Every time I'm with him, I can't help but feel emotional, always holding his thin, weak hands tightly to encourage and give him strength to continue his treatment," Ms. Hoa confided.

For six long years, taking her child to various places for treatment, Ms. Hoa's family's finances are now depleted. They've sold all their valuable possessions and borrowed nearly 300 million VND from various sources. Now, with little Vinh's life hanging by a thread, and burdened by debt, Ms. Hoa and her husband are helpless, unable to borrow any more money to continue their child's treatment.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi To (Vinh's grandmother) sadly shared: "I feel sorry for Vinh, and I feel sorry for his parents. For the past six years, from the day Vinh was born until now, his parents have stayed at home, doing whatever work they could find to have time to take care of him. They worked hard all day, doing odd jobs, and whatever money they earned went towards buying medicine and taking their son to the hospital. I'm old now and can't do anything for them, so when Vinh is at home, I look after him and help out so they can work with peace of mind. For almost a month now, Vinh has been in the hospital, and I've been constantly waiting for news and praying for his speedy recovery."

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Tan commune (Quynh Luu district), said: "Ms. Le Thi Hoa's family is classified as an extremely poor household in the locality, facing incredibly difficult circumstances. The local authorities have consistently shown concern, shared resources, and provided timely support to help the family overcome their difficulties. During holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), the commune prioritizes providing gifts to encourage the family. Ms. Hoa's family urgently needs the support and assistance of philanthropists and benefactors to fund her son's medical treatment."

All support and assistance should be sent to:

Ms. Le Thi Hoa

Address: Village 14, Quynh Tan Commune, Quynh Luu District, Nghe An Province

Phone: 0337.682.257 - Ms. Hoa

Account number of Ms. Le Thi Hoa (Vinh's mother): 51510000561086, BIDV Bank.