Childhood associated with hospitals
Lying on the hospital bed at the General Internal Medicine Department, Hanoi Children's Hospital, baby Trieu Thuy Nhan (6 years old, Phuc Loc commune, Lao Cai province) is struggling with shortness of breath. Her big round eyes of the past are now just two tiny lines due to swelling. Her life is now more fragile than ever.
Only 6 years old - the age at which she should be carrying books to school to study with friends, she has to be attached to the hospital bed, IV lines and prolonged treatment courses.
From the beginning of 2023, she was diagnosed with kidney deficiency syndrome, with manifestations of whole-body edema, shortness of breath, and poor urination. The family took her to a provincial examination and she was transferred to a central-level hospital. Here, she responded well to the medicine, after many treatments, by mid-2024, the disease showed signs of remission, the test result was negative, she continued to use maintenance medication at home.
However, by the end of 2025 (lunar calendar), the nightmare suddenly returned. This time, the disease progressed more complicatedly than before.
Meeting her one afternoon at the hospital, the image of a 6-year-old girl in a pile of IV lines and breathing tubes made everyone's hearts ache. Due to severe water retention in her body, her whole body was swollen, and fluid overflowed into her pleural and abdominal membranes, making Nhan's every breath become heavy.
Cautious prognosis, we desperately need golden hearts
To have money for her child's treatment over the past time, Ms. Ban Thi Van's family had to borrow everywhere and spend hundreds of millions of VND. Ms. Van said that now, relatives and siblings have nowhere to borrow more.
Since her child got sick, all expenses and living expenses of the family of 5 mouths and money for medicine for Nhan have fallen on the shoulders of a father who works as a hired driver with an income of 10 million VND per month. Meanwhile, each day in the hospital now, Nhan's money for medicine outside the insurance list alone has consumed nearly 1.7 million VND.
Ms. Van sadly said: "The family has no fields, no buffaloes or cows. Seeing my child in pain and powerless, if I can't hold on in terms of expenses in the near future, I will only have to take my child home.
Directly treating the patient, Dr. Nguyen Van Lam (General Internal Medicine Department, Hanoi Children's Hospital) said that baby Nhan's condition is currently very bad. She has kidney failure syndrome resistant to corticosteroids, with very poor treatment response even though she has used high-dose immunosuppressants.
Currently, the patient is at risk of respiratory failure, shock, and death. If his health does not improve, he will have to have emergency hemodialysis to save his life," shared Dr. Lam.
In addition, Dr. Lam said that for patients diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, health insurance covers some medications, including immunosuppressants. However, patients still have to use more medications outside the insurance list, which becomes a burden of costs in the treatment process.
Regarding long-term prognosis, in the group of pediatric patients of this age, nephrotic syndrome generally has many positive signs. However, with severe cases like the current one, the patient's prognosis is still quite cautious.
The journey to fight for life of baby Trieu Thuy Nhan is still very arduous and costly. At the age of 6, she still does not fully understand the harshness of fate, still yearns to recover to return to her beloved school. However, that door to the future is gradually closing if there is no joint help from the community.
Right now, baby Nhan is in great need of compassionate arms, golden hearts to have more funds to continue the treatment course, continuing the unfinished dream of childhood.
All help LD26072 baby Trieu Thuy Nhan, please send to Tam Long Vang Charity Social Fund - 51 Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem District, 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.
Or contact directly with Mr. Trieu Van Nam (father of baby Trieu Thuy Nhan) - phone: 0972513651, or Ms. Ban Thi Van (mother of baby Trieu Thuy Nhan) - phone: 0983454055; Phuc Loc commune, Lao Cai.
Account number: 1022710520, account holder name: Trieu Van Nam - Vietcombank.
