A mother with terminal cancer in Vietnam has received nearly VND 189 million (approximately USD 7,230) in donations from readers, helping fund her treatment and secure her children's education.
On August 3, a reporter from Dantri Newspaper in the Mekong Delta presented VND 188.88 million (approximately USD 7,230) to the family of Dang Thi Thu Hang, 42, from Sa Dec Ward, Dong Thap Province. Hang has stage IV colorectal cancer and had feared her illness would force her three daughters to abandon their education.
A Dan Tri reporter hands over readers' donations to Hang's family (Photo: Nguyen Minh).
Hang and her husband, Tran Van Nho, have three daughters. Their twin daughters, Tran Dang Gia Phuong and Tran Dang Phuong Nhi, have just completed their high school examinations, while their youngest daughter, Tran Dang Gia Han, is preparing to enter Grade 2.
Before her diagnosis, Hang and her husband worked as factory workers in Ho Chi Minh City, earning a combined monthly income of more than VND 10 million (approximately USD 383). After covering living expenses, she regularly sent VND 2-3 million (approximately USD 77-115) home each month to help the children's grandparents pay for food and schooling.
In mid-2025, Hang was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. Despite undergoing dozens of chemotherapy sessions and several rounds of radiotherapy, her condition has continued to deteriorate. She has since returned home and plans to seek traditional herbal treatment in the hope of improving her health.
After Dantri published the family's story, readers donated VND 188.88 million, providing much-needed financial support. Receiving the donation, Hang expressed her gratitude to those who had contributed.
"With the money from readers, I can continue chemotherapy and keep fighting for as long as I can. But my condition has become much worse, and doctors have told my family to prepare themselves," she said through tears.
"I know my life is hanging by a thread, but I'm grateful my daughters will be able to continue their education. I only hope their future will be brighter than ours."
Hang said she had set aside more than VND 50 million (approximately USD 1,915) from the donations to pay university tuition for Gia Phuong.
Suffering from cancer, Hang's abdomen has become increasingly swollen and her body is no longer responding to medication (Photo: Bao Ky).
Gia Phuong told Dantri she had applied to several universities and colleges in Ho Chi Minh City to study graphic design. She dreams of earning enough money to help pay for her mother's treatment and support her younger sisters. While waiting for admission results, she has taken a part-time job at a gift shop, earning about VND 3 million (approximately USD 115) a month.
Her twin sister, Phuong Nhi, said her greatest wish was for their mother to recover and for Gia Phuong to be accepted into university.
"If both my sister and I continue studying, my parents won't be able to afford it," she said.