Three times seeing off loved ones due to cancer
The life of Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hoa (53 years old, residing in Gia Hoi hamlet, Tam Dong commune, Nghe An province) is a long series of losses. Cancer has successively taken away his parents and his first son. When the pain had not yet subsided, he himself became a lung cancer patient, continuing to embark on the arduous journey of fighting for life.
In Mr. Hoa's small house, there are almost no valuable assets. The place that makes anyone who visits feel sad is the corner where the portraits of three deceased relatives are placed.
The 53-year-old man with a thin figure, a gaunt face, and deeply sunken eyes still silently looks at the portraits of his loved ones every day. The great loss almost dried his tears.
In 2004, his eldest son passed away at the age of 9 after many years of fighting blood cancer. In 2012, his father died of lung cancer. Tragedy continued when his mother also died of blood cancer in 2023, after many years of treatment.
For many years, the hospital corridor has become a place that Mr. Hoa is more familiar than his house. He has spent so many sleepless nights, just hoping for a miracle to happen to his loved ones. But that miracle did not happen.
After successive upheavals, he and his wife and three remaining children struggled to recover, saving every penny from labor to maintain their lives.
Not yet overcoming the pain, he himself contracted cancer
When life gradually stabilized, new challenges rushed in again. In 2020, seeing frequent back pain, Mr. Hoa came for examination and was diagnosed by doctors with lung cancer in stage T2N0M0.
That result almost collapsed the whole family. After what he witnessed, he understands better than anyone how arduous the cancer treatment journey will be.
After the successful surgery, he continued to receive supportive chemotherapy and periodic check-ups for many years. However, in November 2025, during a re-examination at K Hospital, he received bad news when lung cancer recurred, suspected of bone metastasis.
According to MSc.BS Doan Thi Tuyet, Department of Internal Medicine 2, K Hospital, who directly treated Mr. Hoa, this recurrence has a more difficult prognosis than before.
The patient was diagnosed with recurrent lung cancer with a different disease type, with a heavier prognosis. Although health insurance supports part of the cost, the family has been exhausted after many years of treatment, so continuing treatment is very difficult. Each treatment course is a big burden for the family," Dr. Tuyet shared.
Each chemical batch is a loan
Mr. Hoa's family is classified as a poor household in the locality. For many years, the couple has only had enough to cover daily living expenses, without any savings because they constantly have to treat relatives.
Now, when he continues to be treated for cancer, each chemotherapy cycle is a time when the family has to borrow from relatives, relatives, and neighbors.
During the days in the hospital, his wife was always on duty to take care of her husband. In the countryside, three children who are still of school age have to teach each other, looking forward to the day their parents return.
The seemingly simple thing for many families – being together after each day of studying and working – has become the biggest dream of the three children.
After many consecutive years facing illness and loss, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hoa's family is facing countless difficulties. The treatment journey ahead is still long, while the economy has run out.
Every joint effort of the community at this time not only helps Mr. Hoa have more opportunities to continue treatment but also adds hope so that the father can stay with his wife and three children, children who have witnessed too much pain in their lives.
All help for life situation LD26189, 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.
