Le Thi Xuan cries when sharing about her two ill sons.
Le Thi Xuan, 41, and her husband, Pham Cong Toi, 50, shared that their lives were peaceful and easy until 2021, when their second son, Pham Cong Ngoc, was diagnosed with the third stage of leukaemia.
"I was shocked that I kept crying months after," the mother said. "My son was just 11 years old at that time, and I was afraid of losing him after hearing about the disease. But then, with instructions from doctors, we've strictly followed the treatment and my son's condition has improved, and he has returned to school."
However, the poor couple were struck again when their first son, Pham Cong Duong, 22, was found to have brain cancer in early 2024.
"We're so down and don't know why tragedies keep striking my family," she said in tears. "Duong was a third-year student at the Hanoi Transport University then, and he had to suspend his studies for treatment. He has lots of plans and ambitions for his future work."
Xuan works at a local footwear company, while Toi is a construction worker. They have had to spend all their savings to cover the treatment for their second son. And when their first son developed the disease, the poor couple had to borrow money from different sources.
Duong has undergone an operation to remove the tumour and 20 radiation treatments. However, the young man's condition has recently worsened.
He had just returned home after receiving radiation treatment, and he was so tired that he refused to eat.
Pham Cong Duong (right) and his brother Pham Cong Ngoc are both suffering from cancer.
Sitting in their dilapidated small house in Thanh Hoa's Nong Cong District, Duong said he still hoped to overcome the disease and return to class.
"I was scheduled to graduate and become an engineer this month if I didn't have to suspend my studies for my treatment," he said with a sign. "I don't want to die, I want to work to support my family."
Xuan tried to hide her tears when hearing her son.
She told him, "You'll overcome the disease if you try to eat and strictly follow the treatment. "
The poor mother said they hope to receive support from kind donors to continue treating her sons.
"We're having to spend VND10 million a month for their treatment," she said. "But the whole family now depends on my salary of VND8 million after my husband stopped working to take care of Duong. We've incurred a debt of VND100 million and don't know where to find more money. We hope to receive support to save them."
Pham Cong Toi said he is very worried about the treatment for his sons.
The head of the Phu Thu Village, Hoang Van Hue, said that local authorities have asked residents to help Xuan's family, but they need more support.
"We're a poor community, and our support is limited," the official said. "We hope more donors will help them overcome this difficult time."
If you can help, send your donations to:
1. Code 5477: Le Thi Xuan
Address: Phu Thu Village, Tuong Van Commune, Nong Cong District, Thanh Hoa Province.
Tel 0387060621
Bank Account 24502897, at ACB Bank Thanh Hoa Branch.
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