Le Thi My Tien, 25, survived after nearly year-long treatment but is still suffering lots of pain from various serious burnt skin areas that have yet to heal.

Lying in bed in the dilapidated house of her aunt, Tien shared about the day when her boyfriend Tran Nhat Thien, 20, poured petrol on her body and set her on fire.

"It was an afternoon last August when my boyfriend and I quarrelled in my room here," Tien recalled. "He was about to leave, but when I opened the gate for him, he suddenly took a bottle of petrol hanging on his motorbike, poured it all over me, and set fire. Hearing me screaming for help, my aunt and cousin ran out and managed to put out the fire and brought me to hospital."

Tien was transferred to a higher-level hospital in HCM City for better treatment after that, as she suffered from more severe injuries over 60 percent of her body.

The case was then brought to court, where Tien's boyfriend was sentenced to 13 years in jail. Tien has also received VND50 million in compensation from his family, but that was just a tiny sum compared to the treatment cost she had to pay.

"I just started to work at that time with a modest income, so I had no savings," she said. "My parents divorced and left me to stay with my aunt and grandparents, who were also very poor. My aunt is struggling to support my old grandparents, who have various health problems. I only received a small sum from my father, who works in Binh Duong Province."

The young girl said that sometimes she just wanted to die so that she would not have to suffer any more pain. But she could not dare to commit suicide when thinking about her family members.

"Now I just hope that I can have some money to continue my treatment so that I can recover and return to work," she said.

Tien's aunt, Le Thuy Dung, said that Tien used to be a beautiful and full-of-energy woman, but now she is facing an uncertain future.

"We love her a lot and have tried our best to seek treatment for her over the past year," the aunt said. "We're running out of money now, and my income as a lottery ticket seller is sometimes not even enough to buy food for the family and medicine for our old father. My 80-year-old mother is also trying to do some odd jobs to support the family."

Tien is now being taken care of by her cousin at home. Doctors said that Tien would need more skin transplants and other surgery in the future.

The chairman of the Tan Phu Thanh Commune Red Cross Association, Doan Thanh Nhi, said that Tien's family is facing many difficulties. He hoped that donors would support Tien and continue her treatment.

If you can help, send your donation to:

1. Code 5269: Le Thi My Tien

Thanh My A Village, Tan Phu Thanh Commune, Chau Thanh A District, Hau Giang Province

Tel: 0843.320.015

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