Ho Thanh Phong, a 9-year-old boy from Ha Tinh Province, has received more than VND 426 million (nearly USD 16,400) in donations from Dantri readers, giving his family a chance to arrange a liver transplant.
Phong has a rare disease and needs a liver transplant (Photo: Duong Nguyen).
According to preliminary figures released by Dantri on August 14, Phong, who lives in Tran Phu Ward, had received the money just four days after the newspaper published an article about his circumstances.
The donations were made through Dantri's charity programme.
Phong's mother, Nguyen Thi Thuy Lien, 31, was overwhelmed when she learned of the support her son had received.
“We never imagined that our son would receive so much love and support,” Lien said. “Our family can only express our deepest gratitude to Dantri readers. With this money, we will try to raise additional funds so that Phong can afford the liver transplant.”
After years of treatment for their son, Lien's family has been financially exhausted (Photo: Duong Nguyen).
Phong was born with biliary atresia, a rare condition affecting about one in 15,000 children. At three months old, he underwent surgery to remove his gallbladder.
After years of treatment, the condition developed into cirrhosis and hepatopulmonary syndrome, leaving his health increasingly fragile.
For nine years, Phong has taken medication continuously. His family spends about VND 5 million a month on medicines not covered by health insurance, in addition to the cost of travelling to Hanoi for treatment.
Phong is now in fourth grade but is unable to attend school regularly because of his poor health.
Doctors at the National Children's Hospital have recommended that Phong undergo a liver transplant at Viet Duc University Hospital.
His father is not eligible to donate part of his liver because he previously underwent surgery to remove part of a lung.
Lien, despite being thin and in poor health, is willing to donate part of her liver to her son. Doctors, however, said the procedure could pose significant risks and recommended prioritising a liver donated by a brain-dead donor.
Regardless of which option is chosen, the family needs about VND 1.5 billion for the transplant and related expenses.
Phong recently had an opportunity to receive a suitable donated liver, but his family had to miss the opportunity because they could not raise the required funds in time.
After nearly a decade of medical treatment, the family's finances have been exhausted. Lien has stopped working to care for her son, while the family's main income comes from his father doing casual labour, his grandfather working as a construction labourer and his grandmother collecting recyclable materials.
Phong's 4-year-old sister also lives with the family and requires care and support.
The family hopes to continue receiving support from Dantri readers and donors so that Phong can undergo a liver transplant and have a chance to survive.