renewing hope
The adversity that hit the family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (40 years old, Can Tho City) was like a big shock when her youngest son Mai Tan Phat, only 7 years old, suddenly discovered to have leukemia.
Due to poverty and no stable job, Ms. Thao's family had to emigrate to Binh Duong to work for hire. Last August, while returning home, Phat had symptoms of high fever and bleeding tooth and foot. After a few days of being hospitalized locally and transferred to Can Tho Children's Hospital, Phat fell into critical condition due to cerebral hemorrhage, deep coma, and having to use a ventilator.
At the most desperate moment when she could no longer afford to pay and lacked health insurance for her child, a ray of hope appeared. At this time, doctors from the Can Tho City Hematology and Blood Transfusion Hospital coordinated a consultation, determined that the child had leukemia, went directly to Can Tho Children's Hospital to receive the child, and at the same time, mobilized benefactors to support treatment costs.
Ms. Phuong Thao emotionally shared: The doctors saved my child twice. They not only saved my life but also gave me faith and determination. I am grateful for life.
Thanks to the special treatment regimen, Phat overcame the critical condition, was taken off the ventilator and gradually recovered.
Medical salary as from the model
Not only the above case, Ms. M.N (32 years old, Dong Thap province) also went through difficult months with expensive treatment costs (30 - 40 million VND per drug administration). "The doctors always encourage me to be assured, no matter how much it is, I will consider it. That sharing made me feel not alone," Ms. N choked up.
In 2020, facing the increasing number of blood cancer patients, especially children (accounting for about 1/3), in the West, Can Tho City Hematology - Blood Transfusion Hospital established a Social Work Group.
The Social Work Group with 9 members, mainly doctors and nurses, directly receiving treatment and activities is spread with the motto "no one has to fight the disease alone".
The most heartbreaking thing is for children with hereditary diseases that require long-term treatment, causing parents who are workers to work hard and have to quit their jobs to take care of their children. Many families are exhausted by expenses, shared Dr. Truong Trong Le, Deputy Head of the Treatment Department, Head of the Social Work Team.
From the beginning of 2025 to now, the Social Working Group has mobilized more than 500 million VND to directly support patients, giving hundreds of gifts, thousands of meals, equipping air conditioners, water purifiers, and wheelchairs to serve patients.
Headquarters staff are exposed to patients every day, so they have a special bond. Sometimes when patients leave treatment untreated, we feel like we have lost a loved one. That is also the reason why the Social Working Group was born so that no one has to fight the disease alone, Dr. Le confided.
In the coming time, the Social Working Group will continue to expand many meaningful programs: supporting admission and discharge procedures, online consultation, organizing "love milk" for children, training to improve social work skills in light care.
This year, there was a time when Can Tho Hematology and Blood Transfusion Hospital encountered difficulties in blood supply and blood products for hospitals in the area, somewhat affecting treatment at hospitals and other medical facilities. After a period of active resolution, especially calling on people to join hands to donate blood for the community, up to now, the blood situation at the hospital has been basically resolved.
