The simple dream of a poor mother whose daughter has a congenital heart defect.
In Pho Mon Hamlet, Vinh Hung Ward, there is a small house where each day is a silent struggle. There, Chu Thi Hien – a frail mother weighing less than 40 kg – is shouldering the burden of supporting her three children after her husband passed away from cancer, leaving behind debts and a series of hardships with no end in sight.
Early morning markets and debts with no end in sight.
Ms. Hien's day usually begins in her small garden at 4 a.m. She picks vegetables, weeds, and then takes the opportunity to catch crabs and snails. The few bundles of vegetables and crabs she catches are all her capital, which she takes to the market to exchange for money to cover the family's living expenses for the day.
That rhythm of life had followed her for many years, especially during the months when her husband was constantly ill: from hepatitis B and cirrhosis to esophageal cancer. All the major and minor tasks in the house, from farming to medicine, fell entirely on the shoulders of that frail woman.
Nearly two years after her husband's death, before her grief could even subside, Ms. Hien faced an even harsher reality: a debt of nearly 100 million VND borrowed to pay for medical treatment. She continues to struggle alone, managing every meal, every penny for medicine, every school fee for her children, and dealing with a debt she doesn't know when she'll be able to repay.
Ms. Hien's biggest worry right now is not just about daily meals, but also the health of her eldest daughter, Nguyen Bao Thy, who is 15 years old this year.
Bảo Thy suffers from a congenital heart condition, specifically coronary artery dilation – a disease that requires regular monitoring and medication. However, since a family tragedy, she hasn't had a single follow-up examination, and she hasn't been able to maintain her medication, causing her health to deteriorate.
Unable to do heavy labor and unable to help her mother much, Bao Thy silently watched her mother struggle amidst endless hardships. At the age of 15, when many of her friends were only thinking about studying and friends, her greatest regret was the feeling of becoming a burden to her mother.
"I feel like I'm a burden to my mother" – the words came out very softly, but they couldn't help but tug at the listener's heartstrings.
It wasn't a complaint, but the pain of a child helpless in the face of their own circumstances.
The dream of paying off all debt and the lingering guilt over unfinished follow-up appointments.
For Ms. Hien, her daughter has never been a burden. What troubles this mother most are the unfinished follow-up appointments, the prescriptions that cannot be continued due to lack of money, and the many worries still facing her daughter's future.
After all the losses and hardships she has endured, Ms. Hien's dream is simply to pay off the nearly 100 million VND debt she borrowed during her medical treatment, and to own a cow to raise, creating a more stable livelihood for her family. For her, it's not just an asset, but a hope to make life less uncertain and to provide a better foundation for her children's future.
In their small house in Pho Mon Hamlet, Vinh Hung Ward, the lives of Ms. Hien and her children continue to quietly drift by, filled with hardship and worries. Their very ordinary dreams remain unfulfilled, and more than ever, they desperately need the support and cooperation of the community to make them a reality.
All donations should be sent to the program at the following address:
Ms. Chu Thi Hien, Pho Mon Hamlet, Vinh Hung Ward, Nghe An Province.
Account number: 881653 5879 BIDV Bank Nghe An
You can also get more information by contacting the program's correspondent, journalist Nguyen Ngoc Dung, at the following phone number: 0913.064.060
