In the early morning of May 13, 2017, over 200 adults accompanied their senior parents to a comprehensive health check event at Cho Ray hospital, the starting point to help their parents realize unfulfilled dreams. 

This is a meaningful activity organized by Abbott in cooperation with the Vietnam Medical Association on the occasion of Mother’s - Father’s Day. Unlike other ordinary health check event, it is considered a gift for parents to start their journey to unmet dreams after the age of 50 with the companion of children.

When strength paves the way for dream

Accompanying his 67 year-old mother to the health check since 6:30 in the morning, Ngoc Tuan (Binh Thanh District) could not hide his nervousness while constantly looking into the ultrasound room.

“I have never personally taken my mother to a health check before. And my mother would rarely follow the doctor’s advice of doing medical check-up every six months unless she felt too tired.

“Being busy with work and my own family, I only called my mother to ask whether her health check result was good or not. But today is different…” the busy manager said.

His reason for why “today is different” is quite moving. Last year, when watching a touching video about elderly dreams on the internet, Tuan was startled that he also had no idea about his parents’ dream just as those adult children in the video!

“Talking with my mother, I finally discovered that she wished to visit a friend in Quang Binh whom she hasn’t met for 30 years. It’s very convenient to go to Quang Binh given modern transportation nowadays, but the biggest obstacle to my mother is her health. She often feels pain and has problem with digestion so she would rather stay at home. A few weeks ago, when knowing that this health check event would include not only health diagnostic but also nutrition guide and consultation from healthcare professionals and especially inspirational stories sharing from people aged above 50 about their dream journey, I promptly promised myself to accompany my mother here to check for her health and support her dream,” Tuan said.

Indeed, at the "Strength paves the way for dreams" inspirational talk organized within the health check event, the participants could not hold their applauses, their eyes full of emotion and admiration when directly listening to the stories from the “fire-givers”: Ms. Ana María Canaval Landázuri, the Peruvian swimming champion who won over 400 medals nationally and internationally at the age of 65 and Mr. Dang Thanh Hai, the man cycling across the country on the bike his daughter presented him.

Being at the age that many people think their parents no longer have any dream, they still desire and wish to achieve their unfulfilled dreams.

Ana María Canaval Landázuri (2nd, left) and Dang Thanh Hai

To achieve the dream, parents need a "companion"

Wiping tears when hearing Ana’s talk about her health decline after the age of 50, Ngoc Nga (District 3) reveals: “Her situation is just like my mother's so I was so touched when listening to her story. My mother once said, she wished she could swim well, but due to poor health she had to put aside that dream. Listening to Ana’s sharing about her determination of improving nutrition and exercise, seeing her gold medals, and having a glance at my mother sitting next to me to see her sparkling eyes with new hope inside, I thought: Why don’t I support my mother to do the same? This health check today can be the first step for my mother in her journey to make dream come true.”

Similar to Ms. Ana, Mr. Dang Thanh Hai also suffered from high blood pressure and joint pain. However, with the glasses of milk by his daughters making for him every  morning and the nutritious meals made by his wife, the “most handsome man in the house” (as he jokes) had motivation to cycle about 60km a day during 5 years before fulfilling his dream of traveling across the country on his bike.

Sharing with the adult children determining to accompany their parents to realize beautiful dreams, Dr. Ngan Tam said: “The children can be a companion for their parent on the dream journey by practical and consistent actions such as accompanying them to the health check to understand their health condition, choosing the best nutritional products for people aged over 50 and frequently motivating their parents. Note that after the age of 50, complete and balanced nutrition plays an important role in helping seniors improve health, increase resistance, and enhance the energy needed for physical activity".

Dang Thanh Hai

Affirming that dream has no age limit, Mr. Douglas Kuo, General Manager of Abbott Vietnam, said: “We believe that no matter your age, you should never doubt your ability to make change and accomplish your dream. On this Parents’ Companion Day, we are honored to join hands with hundreds of adult children to accompany their parents to do health check as the start for the journey of dream achieving together. Abbott will continue to be the partner of health for seniors and their children, and we hope to witness more dreams coming true through the power of health.”

With the care and companion of the children, we believe that every parent can gain a good health so maybe someday they can also be the inspirational people for the dreams at the age of 50, 60 or even 70 and further.