In the last days of July, 59-year-old Mr. Thin rushed between two hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City. In the mornings, he took his wife to the University Medical Center for a follow-up appointment for colon cancer, and in the afternoons, he traveled to Children's Hospital 2 to care for his 11-year-old grandson, Vo Tuan Kiet, who had recently been diagnosed with leukemia.

As his grandson's next chemotherapy appointment approached, Mr. Thin called his daughter from Lam Dong to come and help. He worried that he wouldn't be able to be there for Kiet if his condition suddenly worsened because he was also busy caring for his wife. "This is my fate. Instead of complaining, I will try my best to live and only hope that my wife and grandson will recover soon," Mr. Thin said.

His family lives in Binh Tan ward, La Gi town. Mr. Thin recounted that life before 2014 was relatively stable. Although not wealthy, his 4-5 million VND monthly income from driving a motorbike taxi, combined with the earnings of his two children working as a factory worker and a fisherman, was enough for the family to make ends meet.

Hardship struck in 2014 when his eldest son, born in 1990, got married and had Tuan Kiet. The marriage fell apart after a year, and his daughter-in-law abandoned the one-year-old child, disappearing without a trace.

"Since that day, Co (his son) has been depressed, drinking all the time, and unable to hold down a job. I became the sole provider for the entire family," Mr. Thin explained.

Mr. Vo Van Thin. Photo provided by the subject

Mr. Vo Van Thin. Photo provided by the subject

With the increased burden, Mr. Thin worked tirelessly, driving his motorbike taxi from 7 a.m. until late at night. His meager earnings had to be stretched to cover living expenses for the whole family and his grandson's school fees. Whenever he saw his wife sigh sadly, he would comfort her: "If our son is foolish, we will bear the burden. We will raise our grandson into a good person."

In 2023, tragedy struck again when his wife was diagnosed with colon cancer. She had to go to Ho Chi Minh City for surgery and chemotherapy. For a year, he and his daughter took turns taking her to the hospital. His income dropped because he couldn't drive regularly. His son also found work as a fisherman, but the job was unstable, earning him at most 5 million VND a month. Every three weeks, the family traveled to Ho Chi Minh City for his wife's follow-up appointments.

Just when it seemed their misfortunes had ended, in 5/2025, his grandson, Tuan Kiet, suddenly developed a persistent high fever, lost his appetite, his stomach swelled, and strange spots appeared all over his body. After examinations at the town hospital and then the provincial hospital, doctors discovered that his liver and spleen were abnormally enlarged and advised the family to take him to Children's Hospital 2 for further testing.

Once again, the gaunt man took his grandson to Ho Chi Minh City alone. "Initially, I thought he just had bloating because he had always been healthy. I never expected to receive the news that he had leukemia," Mr. Thin choked up.

11-year-old Vo Tuan Kiet being cared for by his aunt at Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, at the end of 7/2025. Photo provided by the family

11-year-old Vo Tuan Kiet being cared for by his aunt at Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, at the end of 7/2025. Photo provided by the family

The following months were a series of days spent battling the disease alongside his grandson in the hospital. Having experience caring for his wife with cancer, taking care of his grandson wasn't difficult, but his biggest worry was financial. Since he had been hospitalized with his grandson, the family had almost no income. His wife was sick, his son's fishing job was unreliable, and his daughter didn't have stable employment. He had to find ways to manage.

His life savings had been spent on his wife's treatment. For his grandson, he sold everything of value in their house. When there was nothing left to sell, he borrowed from relatives and neighbors. "But everyone around me is struggling, and I don't know when I can repay them, so I feel embarrassed. I'll just take what I can get," he said.

His only remaining valuable asset was his old motorbike. Mr. Thin refused to sell it. The 59-year-old man explained that it was his family's "rice bowl." If he sold it, he wouldn't know how to earn money, as his health was declining, and he couldn't do heavy labor.

Since Tuan Kiet's hospitalization, the cost of medicine and expenses not covered by insurance has exceeded 30 million VND. Mr. Thin borrowed all of this money. He plans to return to driving his motorbike taxi once his grandson's health stabilizes, working diligently to repay his debts.

In early August, Mr. Thin's family of four returned to Binh Thuan, waiting for Tuan Kiet's next check-up in a week.

Looking at his emaciated grandson, who had lost weight from 56 kg to 36 kg, lying in the hospital bed, Mr. Thin stroked his head and whispered, "Grandpa will ask the doctors to cure you so you can go back to school with your friends."

With the goal of inspiring hope for children with difficult circumstances, the Hope Foundation, in collaboration with Sun Foundation, is launching the Sun of Hope program. Every contribution from the community is a ray of light sent to the future generation of the country. Readers can join the program here:

Program Name: Your Name - Sun of Hope

Program ID: 195961

Quynh Nguyen