Application to leave poverty line of a man with cancer

(Baonghean) - 'After many years of being considered a poor household, enjoying many preferential policies in loans and health insurance for medical treatment, a man being treated for stomach cancer wrote an application to escape poverty'.

The story of requesting to withdraw from the poor household status is not too strange for people in the mountainous district of Con Cuong, because in recent years there have been dozens of households doing it. But requesting to withdraw from the poor household status while undergoing cancer treatment, Mr. Luong Van Quang (born in 1971) is probably the first person.

Quang's house is in Dong Thang village, Thach Ngan commune (Con Cuong), surrounded by mountains and streams. The day we visited, he had just returned from the hospital after chemotherapy, so his skin was pale, his expression was weak and his voice was often interrupted when talking. He said that at the age of 18, he got married to Lo Thi Hien (born in 1972) and had 3 children (2 boys, 1 girl).

Mr. Luong Van Quang and his wife with a stack of documents related to the treatment of stomach cancer over the past 2 years. Photo: Cong Kien

The land of Thach Ngan has long been famous for its isolation and poverty, with only a few rice fields along the streams and barren hills due to slash-and-burn farming for generations. Working all year round on the rice fields to make a living, Quang and his wife have had a fairly stable life. About 3 years ago, with the money they had saved, they decided to borrow more to build a level 4 house.

When the house was just completed, Mr. Quang felt his stomach growling and uncomfortable, then severe pain appeared with increasing frequency. The Southwest Regional General Hospital concluded that he had gastritis, but after treatment, from Western medicine to Chinese medicine, the disease still did not improve. He went to Nghe An Oncology Hospital for a biopsy and the results showed that he had stomach cancer.

Since being diagnosed with cancer, all the assets accumulated after many years of hard work have been "gone", from buffaloes, cows, pigs, chickens to rice and corn, all had to be sold to raise money for treatment. When the family's assets were exhausted, Ms. Lo Thi Hien ran around everywhere with the determination to win back her beloved husband from the hands of death, her children also went to the North and the South to work as factory workers to earn money to treat their father.

Prescription for stomach cancer treatment of Mr. Luong Van Quang. Photo: Cong Kien

Sympathizing with Mr. Quang’s situation, that year the Management Board and the people of Dong Thang village unanimously considered his family as a poor household to receive preferential treatment in medical examination and treatment. In times of difficulty, poverty, and serious illness, it was a “lifebuoy”, an extremely valuable sharing, showing the love and care of the community.

Up to now, after more than two years with 1 surgery, 8 chemotherapy sessions, the cancer cells in Mr. Quang's body are under control, it can be said that he has temporarily escaped the hands of death. But every month, he still has to go to the hospital to check the progress of the disease, receive medicine to take home and inject regularly every day.

As the breadwinner of the family, since Quang fell ill and could no longer do any work, Hien had to take over all the work for her husband. The property they had built up over the years was left with only an empty house. They decided to borrow money to buy buffalo and pigs to develop livestock farming and start over. Hien was a hard-working woman, working hard all day long, trying her best for the family.

Mr. Luong Van Quang's application to withdraw from poverty status. Photo: Cong Kien

God has not let her efforts down, the buffalo has given birth to a calf almost a year old, the herd of pigs has grown to 6. In the fields, rice, corn and cassava plants are also growing well, providing the family with a fairly stable income. Along with that, the children who are working as workers in Hanoi and Vinh Phuc are also working hard, sending money home every month to help their parents.

With his condition improving and the family's finances gradually stabilizing, Mr. Luong Van Quang discussed with his wife about applying to be removed from the poor household list. At first, Ms. Hien was hesitant, but after her husband's convincing arguments, she immediately supported him. Mr. Quang's application stated: "... In recent years, my family has faced many difficulties, and I myself have been sick continuously and have had to go to the hospital for long-term treatment.

My family is in a particularly difficult situation. Thanks to the attention of superiors, over the years my family has been considered as a poor household, and the Party and State have given priority to policies for poor households. During the years I went for medical treatment, the hospital also exempted some expenses.

Up to now, I feel that my illness has somewhat improved, and my family's situation has also improved. At the end of this year, there will be a survey to review poor and near-poor households in 2017-2018. I discussed with my family and agreed to withdraw from the poor household list to reduce the burden on the village and commune...

Ms. Lo Thi Hien (Mr. Quang's wife) takes care of buffaloes to develop the family economy. Photo: Cong Kien

Mr. Quang showed us a stack of papers, including medical records, referral papers, test results, and dozens of prescriptions. These pieces of information and data showed that his fight against the disease was still very difficult and arduous, and it was unknown when it would end.

But the man was still tolerant and confident, sharing: “Only when I went to the hospital did I realize that many people were in difficult circumstances, and even in the village there were households in more difficult circumstances than me. Therefore, I discussed with my wife to remove us from the poor household list to give preferential treatment to those in more difficult circumstances, and to create motivation for us to overcome in life.”

Mr. Vo Dinh Thanh - Secretary of the Party Committee of Thach Ngan Commune said: "The commune leaders have received Mr. Luong Van Quang's application. Our point of view is to encourage people to eliminate the mindset of waiting and relying on the state, and strive to escape poverty. Mr. Quang's family can be considered a typical example for everyone to learn from."

Mr. Thanh added that for Mr. Quang's household, when there is a program or policy to borrow capital to support production and economic development, the commune will pay attention and create conditions for access.

Cong Kien