Old mother struggles to raise children

An 83-year-old mother in Quang Nam Province is in need of help to treat a daughter who is deaf and mute and another daughter who is suffering from cancer.

An 83-year-old mother in Quang Nam Province is in need of help to treat a daughter who is deaf and mute and another daughter who is suffering from cancer.

Luu Thi Nhon sells vegetables and lives with her two daughters in Thu Bon Dong Village. Nhon's oldest daughter, Ngo Thi Bac, is 57 years old and has stomach cancer. Her younger daughter, Ngo Thi Vu is 50 years old and she is mute and deaf since birth.

Bac was diagnosed with stomach cancer three years ago. At first, she had eating difficulties, stomach pain and would often vomit. When she went to hospital, doctors said she was already in the last stage.

Bac was diagnosed with stomach cancer

Bac had to go to the chemotherapy sessions alone and depended on charity meals or leftovers from strangers to live by. But doctors were unable to help her and let her go home. Bac is afraid that she would be a burden to her old mother and thought of suicide, but her mother begged her not to.

"Sometimes I just want to die. It hurts really badly. But my mother encouraged me to live on. She told me, 'we'll take care of each other, I'll be heartbroken if you leave me. I don't want to hold funeral for my daughter', and it hurts to hear her said so," Bac said.

Thanks to kindly neighbours the family can still buy medicines and food. Their house is also a charity house built in 1999. It has deteriorated and can't keep out the rain. When storm season comes, they have to take shelter in neighbours’ houses as their home can collapse anytime.

The family's dilapidated house

Bac's mother earns as high as VND15,000 (66 US cents) a day, some days, she only earns VND3,000. "I know my vegetable is not as fresh as other sellers'. It's great if there are buyers or else I'll take it home and make a meal. I'm old and my only happiness is to be surrounded by my children. Even if life is harder, I can still make it. I won't abandon my children," she said.

Tran Thi Nam, a neighbour, said, "We’re not wealthy and can only help them so much. We all hope they can have a proper house. At least, there will be a place to put altars if worse come to worst."

Mai Lanh, chairman of Red Cross Organisation in Duy Tan Commune, said the commune was poor and didn't have the fund to help Bac.

If you can help them, please donate through:

1. Code 2467: Tran Dieu, head of Thu Bon Dong Village, Duy Tan Commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province. Nhon doesn't have a phone and can't go to post office.

Tel: 01678474151

2. No. 2/48 Giang Vo Str., Dong Da Dist., Hanoi

Tel: 04. 3. 7366.491/ Fax: 04. 3. 7366.490

Email:quynhanai@dantri.com.vn

* Vietnam Dong Account information at Vietcombank:

Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri

Account number: 045 100 194 4487

With Bank: THE BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM – Thanh Cong Branch

* US Dollar Account information at Vietcombank:

Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri

Account number: 045 137 195 6482

SWIFT Code: BFTVVNVX

With Bank: THE BANK FOR FOREIGN TRADE OF VIETNAM

* Vietnam Dong Account information at Vietinbank:

Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri

Account number: 10 201 0000 220 639

With Bank: Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade – Hoan Kiem Branch

* US Dollar Account information at MB Bank:

Account holder: Bao Khuyen hoc & Dan tri

Account number: 0721100357002

SWIFT Code: MSCBVNVX

With Bank: MILITARY COMMERCIAL JOINT STOCK BANK - MCSB ( No.3, Lieu Giai str., Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam)

3. Dantri/DTiNews' representative offices

Ha Tinh representative office: 46 Nguyen Cong Tru, Tan Giang Ward, Ha Tinh City. Tel: 039.3857.112

Da Nang representative office: 25 Nguyen TriPhuong, Thanh Khe Dist., Da Nang City. Tel: 0511.3653.725

Ho Chi MinhCity representative office: 39L Street 11, Ward 3, Binh Thanh Dist, Hochiminh City. Tel: 08. 66786. 885

Can Tho representative office:53/13 Ly Tu Trong, Ninh Kieu Dist., Can Tho City. Tel: 071.3.733.269