15 year old girl once cried because she was afraid of losing a leg
In June 2023, all the dreams of the 15-year-old girl almost came to an end when her left knee swelled up and was in constant pain. After that, Hong Thu was diagnosed with bone cancer by the doctor.
Due to her difficult family circumstances and being an ethnic minority, Thu and her parents and family were extremely worried and confused when they found out she was sick. Hong Thu's family had been among the poor households in the area for many years. The family's income depended solely on the barren hill where they grew tea. Faced with their daughter's serious illness, Hong Thu's parents did not know how to cope other than running around and borrowing money everywhere.
Doctor Do Cam Thanh - Head of the Department of Pediatrics, K Hospital - said: "Patient Hong Thu was diagnosed with stage IIB bone cancer of the lower head of the left femur, highly malignant osteosarcoma. The treatment regimen includes 2 cycles of chemotherapy, followed by surgery to remove the tumor and continued chemotherapy after surgery for 6 cycles."
Recalling that time, Ms. May, Hong Thu's mother, could not help but choke up: "The bone transplant cost 177 million VND. The family tried to borrow money everywhere but it was still not enough. During the days my child went to the hospital for chemotherapy, I did not dare to spend a single penny, and I had to rely on the hospital to support me with charity meals."
Every time she traveled nearly 400km from Tan Uyen, Lai Chau to K Hospital, Hong Thu was extremely tired. The image of the small girl curled up on the hospital bed, her head bald due to chemotherapy, her skin pale and occasionally grimacing in pain made anyone who witnessed it feel heartbroken.
Winning the evil disease
After receiving the information, the K Hospital Social Work Department quickly learned about Lo Thi Hong Thu's situation and made a plan to mobilize and call for support for her treatment costs. Fortunately, thanks to the cooperation of philanthropists, Hong Thu had money to cover the treatment costs.
Hong Thu received 318 million VND in support. This is a huge amount of money, a source of spiritual encouragement for Hong Thu and her family to feel more secure on their treatment journey.
On January 4, 2024, the patient underwent surgery to remove the tumor at the lower end of the femur and replace the artificial joint. The doctor announced that the surgery was successful, the tumor was well necrotic (97%), and almost no cancer cells were found in the tumor after surgery. The child was able to keep his legs.
The doctor said that Hong Thu's health condition after surgery is very good and stable. Combining a nutritious diet with appropriate exercise, Hong Thu can quickly return to normal activities. However, the patient needs to pay attention to strenuous activities, climbing stairs...
After the treatment, Hong Thu has now returned to her family and village and is ready to go to school. The 15-year-old girl shared that she clearly felt her health improve, no longer in pain, no longer afraid. With the remaining money after the surgery, Hong Thu's family used a part of the money to contribute to building a local bridge to spread the kindness of the community.
For 15-year-old Lo Thi Hong Thu, the community’s support is a “miracle” that allows her to continue her dreams and ambitions, living with the love of the whole community. She will be strong to overcome bone cancer, strive to study to become a useful person for her family and society.
