A young woman from the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang, who used to live with a tumor weighing over 10 kilograms on her leg, has continued her life with great resilience and determination.

Pham Thi Xinh, 24, living in Hoa Khanh Nam Ward, Lien Chieu District, previously spent her life in a critical condition because of a giant tumor weighing over 10 kilograms on her left leg.

Xinh was 17 years old when Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters approached the young girl at her house in 2009.

Originally a young and energetic schoolgirl, Xinh was at that time a skinny and pale patient lying stiffly on her bed with the malignant tumor.

“The doctors had said that her tumor was too big and so was her blood vessel on the left leg, posing a high risk of fatality during any surgery,” Tam, Xinh’s mother told, Tuoi Tre at the time.

Tam used to take her to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City when the tumor was just the size of a fist, she recalled, adding that the clinicians stated that the tumor could only be removed by amputating her leg.

Xinh’s mother rejected the surgery as she did not want her daughter to be disabled for the rest of her life.

Tam said that she and her husband only earned a combined amount of VND70,000 (US$3.14) per day from working as scrappers and bricklayers.

The couple had become heavily indebted since Xinh was diagnosed in October 2007, for they had to quit their job to focus on treating and taking care of their daughter, Tam continued.

Pham Thi Xinh lies on her bed with the giant tumor on her left leg in 2009. Photo: Tuoi Tre      

The Tuoi Tre article on Xinh’ story, which was published on May 26, 2009, captured the attention of a lot of readers, who offered financial support worth hundreds of millions of dong (VND100 million = $4,485) to the family.

The money was then used to pay for Xinh’s surgery and treatment at the oncology hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.

On June 11, 2009, doctors at the infirmary announced that Xinh’s surgery was a success and the young woman was discharged from the hospital three months later, on September 11.

Xinh now owns a small café at Hoa Khanh market in Da Nang, which was established from the remainder of the money donated by Tuoi Tre readers.

Whenever the coffee shop closes in the afternoon, the young woman continues to work as a lottery ticket seller on Ngo Van So Street.

“As I have seen the thin line between life and death and experienced the pain and torment brought about by the malignant tumor, things are a lot easier at the moment,” Xinh said.

“Though life is difficult, I remain satisfied with what I have already had. Many people are still living with great resilience despite their adversities."

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