Mother and daughter suffer from illnesses

Le Nguyen Kim Ngan, a four year-old girl in Tra Vinh Province is in need of financial help to cover the cost of her leukaemia treatment and to treat her ill mother.

Le Nguyen Kim Ngan

Her mother, Le Thi Hong Nuong said, "I married when I was 16 years old. My husband and I didn't have jobs so we worked as labourers."

After they had their first child, the family faced even more difficulty because Ngan had weak health since birth and was often sick. When Ngan was several months old, the family went to HCM City to find better jobs but soon after, her father left and wanted a divorce.

Nuong moved in with her parents but then Ngan was diagnosed with leukaemia and has been treated with chemotherapy in HCM City Oncology Hospital. The four year-old girl weighs just 10kg.

Le Nguyen Kim Ngan and her mother

Nuong has to take care of Ngan and can't do much work. Sometimes, Nuong sells lotto tickets and depends on free meals at the hospital. Her parents work on small rice fields and earn little, but they also have to take care of Nuong's 80 year-old grandmother.

Nuong has also been diagnosed with kidney failure. Nuong struggles to live and had thoughts of killing both herself and her daughter. "I can't think of tomorrow but I still have to try. How can I abandon my child?" Nuong said.

Nuong's mother has to leave the rice fields to go to HCM City with Nuong. They borrowed money from everyone but it was not enough. Nuong husband visited them once and gave them some million VND.

"The expenses are high but our incomes are low. Now I'm weak and have to take care of Ngan too so I can't do much work. How can we cover the treatment?" Nuong said.