Nguyen Ngoc Thanh Huyen (born in 2007, seventh grader at Vo Van Ky Junior High School, Nha Trang City) cannot get back to school after a period of suspension to prevent COVID-19. She had to go to Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital 2 in order to undergo her 5th chemotherapy session for her hepatoblastoma.
Nguyen Ngoc Thanh Huyen (born in 2007, seventh grader at Vo Van Ky Junior High School, Nha Trang City) cannot get back to school after a period of suspension to prevent COVID-19. She had to go to Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Hospital 2 in order to undergo her 5th chemotherapy session for her hepatoblastoma.
As said by Huyen’s mother, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, Huyen often presented with abdominal pain last February. She was examined at Khanh Hoa General Hospital and was diagnosed as having a tumor in her liver. Huyen was transferred to Ho Chi Minh City Children’s Hospital 2 where she was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma. The tumor is of 125mm and has invaded her blood vessels; therefore, surgery cannot be performed because of a high risk of death. According to the doctors, this is a rare disease in Vietnam. At first, it can only be treated with chemotherapy. If it doesn’t work, Huyen needs to go abroad for more treatment. In that case, the treatment cost can be up to over VND1 billion.
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Huyen’s family went into a financial crisis when she was five years old; her parents have separated since then. She lives with her mother. Huyen is always a good pupil at school and a good child at home. She often helps her mother with the housework. Besides, Huyen is a member of aerobic team of Khanh Hoa Children’s House and has achieved some medals at national contests.
Since February, Huyen has undergone 4 cycles of chemotherapy. She has suffered from physical fatigue, loss of appetite, hair loss, and weight loss, from 48kg to 38kg. Her mother has moved heaven and earth to earn money for Huyen’s treatment. Her grandparents don’t have much money, so they could only offer a little support for Huyen and her mother. The cost of accommodation, travel, medicines for Huyen has been nearly VND100 million.
Nguyen Thi Minh Thao, Huyen’s head teacher, said that Huyen is a good pupil who has actively participated in movement activities of the school and the children’s house. During the period of suspended classes due to COVID-19, Huyen still remained positive and showed her perseverance to attend online classes and finish lessons. Huyen’s class and school raised more than VND90 million to help her.
Reportedly, Huyen’s hepatoblastoma requires a lot of money and time to be cured. Hopefully, readers everywhere will offer support so that Huyen’s disease can be cured and she can continue her study.
Support can be sent to Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga (phone number 0935.388.061), Khanh Hoa Newspaper office (phone number 0258.3822019) at 77 Yersin St., Nha Trang City, or Khanh Hoa Newspaper’s bank account at Vietcombank Nha Trang (account number 0581000765262).
B.K.H
Translated by H.N
