"Those were the darkest days of my life," the 36-year-old woman said.
Her family, from Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri province, doesn't own any farmland. Ten years ago, Anh’s 35-year-old husband, Nguyen Van Bao, moved to Ho Chi Minh City to work as a factory worker. The couple rented a place in District 9, and their two children were born in 2018 and 2022. With an income of 6 million VND each, their life wasn't luxurious, but it was peaceful.
Tragedy struck in early 2023 when their daughter, Bao Ngoc, developed a high fever and swollen lymph nodes in her neck. On the third day of Tet (Lunar New Year), Bao rushed his daughter to various hospitals and clinics, but they couldn't determine the cause. After a month of relentless searching, doctors at the Children's Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City diagnosed her with neuroblastoma, a common and aggressive form of childhood cancer.
By the time it was discovered, the tumor had metastasized, and the prognosis gave her only six months to live. "I felt like collapsing at the door of the examination room. That night, my wife and I held each other and cried," Bao recalled.
 |
Bao Ngoc's family in Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri province, on 17/8. Photo: Provided by the family |
Bao Ngoc's family in Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri province, on 17/8. Photo: Provided by the family
They scraped together a few million VND and took a bus back to Quang Tri for Ngoc to try traditional medicine, but her condition didn't improve. The constant pain and fever left her exhausted, weighing only 13 kg.
Anh, heartbroken for her daughter and struggling with postpartum depression, contemplated taking her own life if Ngoc didn't survive. Bao cared for his daughter during the day, attending to his wife and feeding their daughter spoonfuls of porridge. Every night, he would softly encourage Anh to stay strong for their daughter.
They decided to take Ngoc to Hue Central Hospital. There, doctors concluded that the tumor had spread to critical areas, making surgery or radiation impossible. The only option was chemotherapy, costing hundreds of millions of VND.
"We had to save our daughter at any cost, even if the hope was slim," Bao said. He decided to use their land title deed as collateral for a loan, while Anh sent their youngest child to her parents so she could focus on caring for Ngoc.
During her first chemotherapy session in mid-June 2023, Ngoc’s pain was so intense that she bit her tongue and needed emergency care. Bao felt his heart break, while Anh could only hold her daughter's hand and stroke her head to ease the pain. Fortunately, she pulled through.
In early 2024, Ngoc experienced a second critical episode with a high fever, requiring intensive care. Upon regaining consciousness, she cried and suddenly said, "I'm sorry for making you suffer, mom and dad."
"It was both heartbreaking and touching. She's always been so understanding and well-behaved," Bao said. Ngoc's only wish was to attend school, but she hasn't been able to. For the past two years, they've practically lived at Hue Central Hospital. Ngoc's greatest joy was being allowed to go home for 10 days to see her grandparents, uncle, and younger sibling.
Ngoc's health has improved, her weight has increased to 22 kg, and she’s eating normally. However, she will need medication and palliative care for the rest of her life.
"We cherish every day we have with her," Bao said.
Ngoc Ngan
With the aim of inspiring hope for children with difficult circumstances, the Hope Foundation, in collaboration with Ong Mat Troi (Mr. Sun), has launched the Mat Troi Hy Vong (Sun of Hope) program. Every contribution from the community adds a ray of light to the future generation of our country. Readers can support the program here:
Program Name: Your Name - Sun of Hope
Program ID: 195961
Ngoc Ngan
