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Vietnamese pediatric cancer patients get special treats

Vietnamese pediatric cancer patients get special treats

Saturday, February 16, 2019, 11:59 GMT+7
Vietnamese pediatric cancer patients get special treats
A volunteer poses with children suffering cancer and their gifts. Photo: Uyen Trinh / Tuoi Tre

In January 2019, nearly 800 ‘wish treats’ were delivered to children undergoing cancer treatment at hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi following a campaign known as Uoc mo cua Thuy (Thuy’s Dream).

The campaign, a joint effort by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper and the Vietnam Youth Union in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, was launched 11 years ago in commemoration of Le Thanh Thuy, a young girl who tragically lost her battle with cancer.

Born in 1988, Thuy was first diagnosed with cancer just before high school, and relentlessly combatted the disease until she passed away in 2007.

During her time at the hospital, the bed-ridden girl organized activities geared toward cancer patients, such as charity events during the mid-autumn festival, or delivering presents to cancer kids in Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital and Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Traumatoloy and Orthopaedics.

Following her lead, current volunteers in the campaign make sure the sick children get exactly what they wish for, be it a teddy bear, a toy car, an RC robot, or a mini electronic keyboard.

Philanthropists from across Vietnam contribute to the cause so that every single wish that the children put on the list can come true.

Aware that such wishes can be costly, certain parents do not let their kids file a wish too huge.

A parent approached the volunteers and said: “My kid Thanh Dat put down a bicycle on the list the last time. But I’m afraid that’s too big to be granted.”

She timidly continued: “Can we change it to a pair of sandals? Size 42. Please help me on this.”

Though many children get their gifts, the campaigners feel there is much left to be desired, as it is impossible to deal with the ‘turnover’ of these sick children.

With such a fluctuating number of hospitalized kids in mind, To Oanh - supervisor of the campaign Uoc mo cua Thuy - says: “We have to stick to the rules.”

“We need to make sure that once the list of wishes is done, all the kids will get what they want.”

Surely, the newly admitted children get upset seeing their peers unwrapping presents right next ward.

But the list has to be finalized.

The common room at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital is a place where children expect their gifts. Photo: Uyen Trinh / Tuoi Tre.
The common room at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital is a place where children expect their gifts. Photo: Uyen Trinh / Tuoi Tre.

The gifts arrive

It may not be Christmas, but Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital got a January afternoon visit by a group of ‘Santa Claus’.

The little patients could not hold their eagerness as they saw Superman toy figurines and RC toy cars come flooding in.

Le Thi Tuyet Nhung, head of the delivery team, led the two philanthropists and volunteers across the hospital halls with huge plastic bags full of colorful presents.

As she called out their names, kids and parents alike lined up, eager to see if they would receive their presents.

“Ma’am, will my kid get his gift today?”

“My kid put down his wish the other day. Will he get it now?”

“Ma’am, can we make a wish now?”

The common room at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital is a place where children expect their gifts. Photo: Uyen Trinh / Tuoi Tre.
The common room at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital is a place where children expect their gifts. Photo: Uyen Trinh / Tuoi Tre.

All this happened in a common room which had become a favorite gathering spot of the cancer children, not just for their learning, but for fun and gifts too.

Ten-year-old Pham Thi Anh Thu was suffering from a nasal cavity tumor. She was observing from outside the glass door.

“Will Anh Thu get a present today?” her mother asked.

Knowing all the kids here by name, Nhung ran a check, but was sad to find out that Thu was nowhere to be found.

Seven-year-old Nhat Huy was quick to reply as he heard his room number hailed.

“Mam, I am from room 08.”

But the gift was not for him, as he did not make the December 2018 list.

His eyes saddened, but soon brightened up when he was called out to write down his wish.

“I want a robot,” Huy murmured.

Volunteers dressed up as Santa Claus visit cancer children as part of Uoc mo cua Thuy campaign. Photo: Uyen Trinh / Tuoi Tre
Volunteers dressed up as Santa Claus visit cancer children as part of Uoc mo cua Thuy campaign. Photo: Uyen Trinh / Tuoi Tre

The dream lives on

The Santa act for children at the hospitals never seems to stop, especially for Nhung.

She has been on the job for nearly a year, and has done well in coordinating volunteers and getting presents.

“There are nearly 300 cancer kids at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital. We can manage to get around 270 wish gifts,” she says.

“That is a lot of hard work as we have to reach more philanthropists. The original list was not that long.”

Nhung also makes use of the social media. She will post requests on Facebook if presents are running out, all to ensure as many kids get theirs as possible.

There were times when she refused to add to the list lest she would not be able to make it, but somehow she managed to find extra helping hands.

Uoc mo cua Thuy - the call for love for those poor little children - has been continuously spreading far and wide for the last 11 years.

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Uyen Trinh - Tien Bui

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