LD26237: The vortex of disease surrounds a small family in the countryside of Hue City
Disease surrounded the small family in the countryside of Hue City when both mother and child suffered from dangerous diseases, had to be treated for a long time but their condition had not improved.
Childhood years associated with hospitals
In Trung Ha village, Phu Vang commune, Hue city, Ms. Vo Thi Hien's family (40 years old) has struggled for many years between living expenses and money for medical treatment. Her daughter, Vuong Quynh Nhu (15 years old), has suffered from thalassemia since she was 5 years old, and is currently being treated at Hue Central Hospital.
Thalassemia is a genetic disease related to abnormalities in the process of hemoglobin synthesis, making red blood cells easily destroyed and patients fall into chronic anemia.
Ms. Hien recounted that when she was young, Nhu was often pale and tired. Initially, the family took her to the doctor and was informed of anemia. After going to Hue Central Hospital for in-depth examination, she was diagnosed with thalassemia.
Since then, Nhu's childhood has been associated with re-examinations, blood transfusions and taking medicine. At one point, she had to have blood transfusions once a month; currently, blood transfusions take place about 3 weeks to once a month, depending on her health condition.
Prolonged treatment makes Nhu often have to drop out of school to go to the hospital. The treatment process also poses many difficulties for the family in taking care of her health and ensuring long-term drug costs for her.
The cost of medicine and treatment sometimes amounted to several million VND, even higher. The family once researched a stem cell transplant plan for their child, but the cost was too high, so they did not have enough conditions to implement it.
Struggling for the child
The family's worry became even heavier when about 3 years ago, Ms. Hien discovered that she had lupus erythematosus after a period of appearing symptoms of numbness in her extremities. The disease forced her to undergo long-term treatment, incurring many additional costs.
Lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease, occurring when the immune system mistakenly attacks tissues and organs of the body itself, which can cause damage to the skin, joints, kidneys, heart and many other organs. The disease often progresses for a long time, with stable phases interspersed with outbreaks, requiring patients to be treated, use medication and monitor their health regularly.
Ms. Hien recalled that when she learned that both mother and child were suffering from dangerous diseases, she collapsed and had time to cry for a whole month. Thanks to the encouragement of colleagues and relatives around, she gradually regained her spirit and told herself to try her best to take care of her child.
Her husband works as a mason, the job depends on the construction site, so the income is unstable. The total income of the couple is about 8 million VND per month, but they have to cover living expenses, travel, re-examination and medicine for both mother and child.
There are times when the job is stable and the family can still survive. When there is a lack of work, the necessary expenses become a burden. The couple has to borrow money from neighbors and banks to have money for treatment. Debts are piling up, while the treatment journey of the two mothers and children is still long.
What makes Ms. Hien most regretful is the worry of not being able to maintain treatment for her child. "Hopefully my child will have stable health and continue to go to school like his peers, instead of constantly facing hospitals and blood transfusions" - Ms. Nhu said with tears in her eyes.
She herself also needs medicine to control the disease, but the worry for her daughter is always present. For that mother, just having her child fully treated is already a great comfort.
The situation of Ms. Vo Thi Hien and her child is in great need of care and help. Each support will contribute to sharing the cost burden, adding hope for the two mothers and children to be more steadfast on the journey of fighting illness.
Officials of Trung Ha village (Phu Vang commune) said that in the face of the illness of Ms. Nhu and her child, the local government has implemented support plans, contributing to sharing difficulties and helping the family have more conditions to treat the disease.
All help for life situation LD26237 please send to Tam Long Vang Charity Social Fund - 51 Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem Ward, Hanoi. Account number (STK) 113000000758 at VietinBank Hoan Kiem Branch, Hanoi; Account number: 0021000303088 - at Vietcombank Hanoi Branch; Account number: 12410001122556 - at BIDV Hoan Kiem Branch.
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