Tran Thi Hoai, 43, has just arrived at the Vietnam National Institute of Burns in Hanoi after 33 years living with burns that have totally distorted her mouth and neck. Doctors said that the burns could be treated but the poor woman could not afford the surgery fees.
According to Hoai, she suffered burns during a house fire when she was just 10. Her poor parents could not afford proper treatment for her.
Although Hoai was saved, the burns have left large scars on her body especially on the neck, chest, and hands. She also suffers great pains when moving her neck and hands.
And the woman has grown up shy and afraid. She rarely goes out. As her parents grew old, she decided to have a child at the age of 28 so that she would not be lonely. But due to the family's financial difficulties, her son had to drop out of school after finishing secondary school.
After over 30 years living with the pain, Hoai recently heard that the Vietnam National Institute of Burns has just successfully restored a face for a woman who had also suffered serious burns for 50 years.
"I was full of hope that I can also get rid of these awful scars on my neck when hearing the news," she said. "With encouragement from my son, I decided to sell all the possessions of any value in my home and came to the hospital. But after being informed of the cost of between VND200-300 million (USD8,696-13,043), I had to give up."
Hoai and her son at the Vietnam National Institute of Burns
Speaking to Dantri/Dtinews, Doctor Vu Quang Vinh, director of the institute's Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery said that Hoai suffers serious burns that have distorted her chin, jaws, neck, and armpits.
"She is suffering from pain when eating and moving," the doctor said. "She needs to get the surgery as soon as possible to properly restore those damaged parts. She wanted to give up treatment due to financial difficulties but we have persuaded her to stay while we will try to call for donations for her."
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