On May 28, a Dantri representative in the Mekong Delta region presented VND 129.9 million (USD 5,000) raised through the newspaper’s Charity Programme to the family of Huynh Thi Thuy, 48.
The donations followed a March article highlighting the family's struggles after Thuy lost her eyesight due to complications from a brain tumour and her husband, Ho Van Cuong, became disabled after being diagnosed with cancer.
The funds were transferred to the family's son, Ho Huynh Nhat Tan, who has used part of the money to cover treatment costs for his parents and repay debts.
Thuy said the family had spent the donations carefully, using part of the money to repay VND10 million in debt and ensure Cuong could attend regular medical check-ups.
“I am deeply grateful to Dantri/DTiNews readers for helping my family through such a difficult time. Without their support, we would not have known how to cope with my husband's illness and my blindness,” she said.
Cuong said he remained determined to continue treatment and hoped to regain enough strength to earn a living by selling lottery tickets from a hand-pedalled wheelchair.
Despite losing mobility because of cancer, he said the support from readers had given him renewed hope for the future.
For the past decade, the family has faced mounting difficulties as both Thuy and Cuong developed serious health problems.
Thuy gradually lost her eyesight after years of treatment for a brain tumour, while Cuong, once the family's main breadwinner working as a construction labourer, became disabled after developing a tumour two years ago.
The couple have two children. Their daughter is married, while their son Tan, now 21, left school after Grade 9 to help support the family.
Tan works night shifts at a local fish warehouse, earning around VND 6 million a month. As his mother is blind and his sister no longer lives at home, he has taken on much of the responsibility of caring for his father during treatment.
