Amidst the hard days of making a living, Ms. Bui Thi Quynh (born in 1991, from hamlet 33, Xuan Giang commune, Ninh Binh province) - a freelancer - is struggling to shoulder the burden of her family and take care of her sick young child. Life was already difficult when her income was only about 2 million VND/month, from jobs where everyone hired her to do whatever they wanted, now it is even more deadlocked when events continuously strike...
The greatest pain of the young mother began when her first child - baby Dang Hoang Gia (born in 2013), just a few months old, suddenly had a high fever and pimples all over her body. The family took her to many places for treatment and then transferred her to the National Children's Hospital. Here, the baby was diagnosed with severe measles.
For a month, baby Gia was treated in the Intensive Care Unit of the National Children's Hospital, the family expenses Ms. Quynh had to pay amounted to more than 40 million VND - a huge number for a poor family. Despite trying to treat her, baby Gia's condition worsened when the virus attacked her internal organs. Baby Gia passed away when she was only 4 months old, leaving an irreparable pain... "At that time, seeing my child in pain and then dying, I felt like I was lost. She only knew how to look at her mother, I felt sorry for her and was helpless...", Ms. Quynh said choked up.
Before the pain of losing her child could subside, tragedy continued to fall on the family when Ms. Quynh's second daughter - baby Dang Dieu Linh (born in 2015) - was born with a serious congenital heart disease. Doctors diagnosed the baby with "Fallot's heart stage 4" when she was only 2 months old.
Baby Linh's treatment journey lasted for many years, associated with major surgeries. The first surgery was when she was only 3 months old, then she had to undergo prolonged treatment for a month in the intensive care unit. After surgery, she suffered from brain atrophy complications that severely affected movement and communication.
In 2023, baby Linh continued to undergo tendon surgery to be able to practice walking. In August 2024, she underwent a second heart surgery lasting nearly 9 hours. Despite many interventions, baby Linh's health condition is still very weak, heart valves and lung valves are severely open, often tired and have to take medication for life.
As soon as she stops taking medicine, she is exhausted and has difficulty breathing. She can't speak, she just knows to tap her chest to let her mother know she is in pain...", Ms. Quynh shared in tears.
Currently, baby Linh has to be re-examined twice a month, and the cost of medicine is about 4 million VND. Renting a room near the hospital for convenient examination also costs nearly 2.4 million VND/month. All of this falls on the thin shoulders of the mother.
A big disadvantage is that little Linh has never been to school once. Her childhood was associated with hospital beds and prolonged treatments.
Difficulties became even more compounded when Ms. Quynh's husband - Mr. Dang Van Bao (born in 1990) - went to work far away, rarely being at home. The family mainly relied on a meager income and a social allowance of 1 million VND/month.
Not only that, Ms. Quynh's family also has her mother - Ms. Le Thi Sen (born in 1969) - who is also suffering from end-stage cirrhosis, being treated in Hanoi for many months. Ms. Quynh's father is old and weak, suffering from bone and joint disease and lung disease, and is no longer able to work.
Unable to rely on her family, to have money to treat her child's illness, the poor mother had to borrow everywhere, from relatives, villagers to banks. But with the current situation, her ability to manage has almost run out. However, amidst countless difficulties, that mother has never let go. On rare evenings when her child is less tired, she still takes her child for a walk around the hospital yard - as a way for her child to "touch" outside life.
I just hope my child gets better and lives normally like other children. No matter how hard it is, I can endure it," Ms. Quynh said with tears in her eyes.
According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Phan - Village Head of Village 33, Xuan Giang commune, Ninh Binh province, Ms. Quynh's family is in particularly difficult circumstances in the locality.
Ms. Quynh's situation is very pitiful, raising a sick child alone, and bearing many more upheavals. We really hope philanthropists will join hands to help so that Linh has more opportunities for treatment," Mr. Phan shared.
All help for life situation LD26100, 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
