In late July, 6-year-old Hoang Anh from Dong Ha ward, Quang Tri province, clutched his coloring book as his mother accompanied him back to Hue Central Hospital for another round of chemotherapy. His innocent question, "After this, I'll be completely healthy and can go back to school, right, Mom?", brought tears to his mother, Phuong Thao's, eyes as she embraced him.

"I thought he had escaped death, but this relapse is more severe, with multiple complications. The doctors said they need to monitor him closely and adjust the treatment plan to save him," Thao said, her voice choked with emotion.

6-year-old Hoang Anh from Dong Ha ward, Quang Tri province, undergoing leukemia treatment at Hue Central Hospital in July 2025. Photo: Provided by the family.

Thao explained that in late 2023, she took Hoang Anh to a local hospital after he experienced persistent ear pain for several days.

Initially diagnosed with otitis media, Hoang Anh's recurring symptoms and facial paralysis prompted an urgent transfer to Hue Central Hospital for a bone marrow biopsy. The diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a highly aggressive and rapidly progressing blood cancer, devastated Thao. She collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably, as her son was only 4 years old at the time.

Composing herself, Thao called her husband and gathered their meager savings of several tens of millions of Vietnamese dong to cover the treatment costs.

The couple's combined monthly income from various labor jobs, including construction work, loading and unloading goods, and motorbike taxi driving, barely exceeded 6 million VND. Upon learning of their son's diagnosis, Hoang Dong, Hoang Anh's father, quit his job to accompany him to Hue for treatment. This placed a significant financial strain on the family, who were already struggling to support their two children, Hoang Anh and his younger sister.

"But at any cost, we will try to earn money to treat our son. Our children are our hope," said 27-year-old Dong.

Hoang Anh began chemotherapy and radiation therapy in 2/2024. The initial high-dose chemotherapy sessions caused severe side effects: he vomited blood, suffered from high fevers and delirium, lost his hair, and became too weak to eat. Witnessing his son's deteriorating health, Dong punched his chest in anguish.

However, subsequent treatments brought improvement. Hoang Anh's skin regained its color, and his appetite returned as he adapted to the medication. By mid-year, their prayers were answered: Hoang Anh was declared cancer-free. Joy filled their home once more. Hoang Anh asked his mother for motorbike rides around the neighborhood and enjoyed the foods he had previously been denied.

In 2/2025, while celebrating Lunar New Year with his family, the 6-year-old experienced fatigue and persistent vomiting, requiring immediate hospitalization. The devastating news of Hoang Anh's relapse, now more life-threatening, shattered Dong's composure. This time, he entrusted his son's care to his wife and worked tirelessly, only sleeping when exhaustion overwhelmed him, to finance his son's treatment.

Under the new treatment plan, Hoang Anh developed swollen lymph nodes throughout his body. One eye became swollen and ulcerated, causing pain and reduced vision, and his weight dropped rapidly. Thao remained constantly by his side, barely sleeping. Each time he vomited blood or convulsed in pain, she wished she could bear his suffering instead.

"Despite everything, my son remains brave and doesn't cry. When the pain becomes unbearable, he just wants me to hold him. Seeing him like this, my husband and I must remain strong for him and do everything possible to fight for his life," the 23-year-old mother said.

Aiming to inspire hope for children with difficult circumstances, the Hy Vong Foundation has partnered with Ong Mat Troi to launch the Mat Troi Hy Vong program. Every contribution from the community offers a beacon of hope for the nation's future. Readers can support the program here:

Program Name: Ten cua ban - Mat troi Hy vong

Program ID: 195961

Nga Thanh