Now, the family has no money left to pay for her surgery.
A Dantri reporter visited the Vietnam-Germany Hospital in Hanoi to meet the unfortunate couple after learning about their plight from the hospital's Social Work Department.
Do Van Dai, 49, from Ninh Binh province, is currently looking after his wife, Dinh Thi Thom, 47, at the hospital after she suffered a fractured arm.
With a weary expression, Dai recounted how Thom fell while bringing him to the hospital for a follow-up liver examination.
Do Van Dai and his wife at the Vietnam-Germany Hospital in Hanoi.
"I have liver cancer and recently underwent a major surgery to remove two-thirds of my liver. On February 27, I developed a high fever, so Thom took me to the hospital for a check-up. She has been battling chronic kidney disease for over 10 years, and her health is very weak. As she stepped out of the car, she fell and broke her left arm. Doctors said she needs surgery, but we have completely run out of savings and cannot afford the operation," Dai said, tears welling in his eyes.
The couple has always struggled financially. Dai worked as a construction labourer and motorbike taxi driver, but his jobs and income were unstable. Thom was a farmer, earning only a modest living.
When they were healthier, they saved money in hopes of having a child through fertility treatment. However, in 2011, Thom was diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure. From then on, she had to give up her dream of becoming a mother and instead undergo dialysis three times a week. The gruelling treatment took a severe toll on her health, leaving her too weak to work, forcing the couple to rely solely on Dai's meagre earnings.
In early 2017, Dai began experiencing fatigue, rapid weight loss, and severe abdominal pain. When he went for a check-up, doctors diagnosed him with liver cancer, requiring urgent surgery to save his life.
Dai has since undergone two major surgeries to remove his liver, along with multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He has also had his gallbladder removed.
The desperate man shared that they have borrowed money from every source to fund their medical treatments over the past few years. Their debts have now risen to nearly VND300 million. Now, with his wife's urgent need for surgery, he feels utterly helpless, as they have nothing left.
"I know that my disease won't allow me to live much longer," Dai admitted. "But my heart aches for my wife. I beg for help so she can have the surgery she needs."
Dr Doan Le Vinh, from the General Trauma Surgery Department, confirmed that Dinh Thi Thom had suffered a mid-shaft fracture of her left humerus, along with radial nerve palsy, on top of her chronic dialysis-dependent kidney disease.
Dr Vinh explained that Thom requires surgery to repair her fractured arm and will need continuous monitoring for radial nerve palsy. In six months, a follow-up consultation will determine whether further surgery is necessary. Given that her husband is battling liver cancer, she has suffered from chronic kidney disease for years, and they are a poverty-stricken family, their situation is extremely dire.
"We sincerely hope that Dantri readers and generous donors can come together to support Dai and Thom in this difficult time," Dr Vinh appealed.
If you can help, send your donations to:
1. Code 5513: Dinh Thi Thom
Yen Phong Commune, Yen Mo District, Ninh Binh Province.
Tel: 0389245168.
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