On June 25, a Dantri reporter presented a symbolic cheque for VND 369,394,467 (approximately USD 14,200) to Doan Thi Xuan Tuoi, the mother of two-year-old Le Cong Phuc Hung. The full amount had previously been transferred to her bank account.
Hung was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare childhood eye cancer, when he was just 10 months old. Since then, his life has revolved around repeated hospital admissions and lengthy treatment.
Doctors initially advised removing his right eye to prevent the cancer from spreading. Hoping to preserve her son's vision, Tuoi chose chemotherapy instead.
However, after two rounds of chemotherapy, the tumour failed to respond to treatment. It continued to grow, pushing the eyeball outward and invading the optic nerve. To save the child's life, doctors were ultimately forced to remove the entire right eye.
Following surgery, Tuoi continued taking her son to hospitals for chemotherapy, laser treatment and supportive care in the hope of saving his remaining eye.
"My son has already lost his right eye. All we hope now is to save his left eye so he can still see the world, go to school and recognise the people he loves," Tuoi said.
The family's struggle has become increasingly difficult as medical expenses continue to mount.
In addition to Hung, the couple are raising two daughters aged seven and three. Both sides of the family face financial hardship. Before Hung's illness, the parents worked as factory workers and had managed to save only a modest amount. Tuoi left her job after giving birth to care for the children, leaving the household dependent on her husband's modest income.
Since Hung became ill, the family's finances have collapsed. Much of her husband's monthly wage has gone towards repaying debts, while daily living expenses have been covered through loans and financial assistance.
Over the past year, Hung's treatment has relied heavily on support from the hospital, relatives and charitable donors. Whenever urgent medical costs arise, Tuoi has had to borrow more money.
Whenever her son is well enough to stay out of hospital, she takes temporary cleaning jobs, earning VND 40,000 (approximately USD 1.50) an hour to supplement the family's income.
Although Hung receives full coverage under Vietnam's children's health insurance programme, the family must still pay for services outside the insurance scheme, medications not covered, travel and accommodation. Each chemotherapy session results in additional out of pocket costs of VND 1.8 million to VND 3.5 million (approximately USD 69 to USD 135).
The family's total monthly treatment expenses are around VND 10 million (approximately USD 385). To keep their son alive, they have borrowed extensively and now owe more than VND 70 million (approximately USD 2,700).
After Dantri/Dtinews published the family's story on May 19, readers in Vietnam and overseas responded with an outpouring of financial support.
Overwhelmed by the generosity, Tuoi expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Dantri readers and benefactors.
"I am deeply grateful to everyone," she said through tears.
She said the donations have given the family renewed hope and the financial means to continue their son's treatment.
Hung has now completed chemotherapy and entered a follow up phase involving regular examinations under anaesthesia to monitor his eye socket. In the coming weeks, his family plans to take him to Hue Central Hospital for radiotherapy under anaesthesia in an effort to reduce the risk of the cancer returning or spreading.
