09:07, 24/07/2022

Two elementary school pupils with fatal diseases

Cao Huynh Dang (born in 2013, third-grade pupil) has liver tumor and Cao Dinh (born in 2014, second-grade pupil) is suffering from bone marrow failure. The two children are the pupils at Khanh Hoa-Jeju Primary School, Suoi Cat Commune, Cam Lam District, Khanh Hoa Province.
 

Cao Huynh Dang (born in 2013, third-grade pupil) has liver tumor and Cao Dinh (born in 2014, second-grade pupil) is suffering from bone marrow failure. The two children are the pupils at Khanh Hoa-Jeju Primary School, Suoi Cat Commune, Cam Lam District, Khanh Hoa Province.
 
A family with 2 brothers having liver tumors
 
Cao Huynh Dang has had six rounds of chemotherapy at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital. He has suffered side effects for chemotherapy, such as fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, etc. Reportedly, Dang’s eldest brother namely Cao Huynh Dan (born in 2011) died in February 2022, just after four months of treatment for liver tumor. After that, Dang often had stomachache; therefore, Dang’s parents took him to Khanh Hoa General Hospital for medical check. He was diagnosed with a liver tumor on the right side and was transferred to Children's Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City. After undergoing a surgery at Children's Hospital 2, Dang was transferred to Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital for chemotherapy treatment.
 
On July 25, Dang must go back to Ho Chi Minh City for a check-up, but his family is almost financially exhausted. Moreover, Dang’s younger brother, Cao Huynh Lang (born in 2014), often has intestinal disorders and abdominal pain. 
 
 
Cao Huynh Dang has just undergone the 6th round of chemotherapy at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital (Photo provided by Dang’s family)
Cao Huynh Dang has just undergone the 6th round of chemotherapy at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital (Photo provided by Dang’s family)
 
Dang’s family is a near-poor household in Suoi Cat Commune. Cao Ty (born in 1990), Dang’s father, is the breadwinner in the family with an uncertain income of VND200 to 300 thousand/day. Since Dang was ill, Ty has taken time off from work to take care of his son. His wife has stayed at home to look after their other little children. They are struggling with extreme financial difficulties to be able to afford their children’s treatment costs and the family’s daily living costs. They have borrowed VND100 million from their relatives, neighbors and bank. 
 
Two brothers with dangerous diseases
 
Cao Dinh has been hospitalized in Khanh Hoa General Hospital for blood transfusion. As said by Dinh’s father, around February 2022, Dinh had a black dot in his groin, pale skin, rash, blisters on his tongue and lips and was brought to Khanh Hoa Genearl Hospital where he was diagnosed with bone marrow failure. The family took him to Ho Chi Minh Blood Transfusion - Hematology Hospital for timely treatment as suggested by the doctors of Khanh Hoa General Hospital. However, Dinh’s parents had to take him back to Khanh Hoa General Hospital because they could not afford the treatment cost which is up to hundreds of million dong.
 
 
Cao Dinh is being treated at the Department of Pediatrics, Khanh Hoa General Hospital
Cao Dinh is being treated at the Department of Pediatrics, Khanh Hoa General Hospital
 
According to M.A., doctor Do Thanh Toan, deputy head of the Department of Pediatrics, Provincial General Hospital, the doctors are treating the symptoms of Dinh’s disease and the treatment needs a close watch. It can be said that the hospital is his second home. Although Dinh’s family only has to pay 5% of the treatment cost thanks to his health insurance for near-poor household, they are facing a lot of extreme difficulties. 
 
Dinh’s elder brother, Cao Tinh (born in 2011, fifth-grade pupil), has suffered osteoporosis since kindergarten. The doctors have fixed implants to his thigh bones to prevent fractures. Tinh has been confined to a wheelchair. One of Tinh's legs is now bent because the implant is askew, but his family cannot afford money to take him to the hospital.
 
Dinh’s family is also near-poor household in Suoi Cat Commune. Dinh’s father is illiterate and doesn’t have a job; he earns meager money by doing loading, unloading and farming work. His wife stays at home to do housework take care of the children. Their circumstance has got more and more difficult when the children became seriously ill. Dinh’s parents have borrowed VND70 million to pay the treatment costs and haven’t paid off the debt yet.
 
The both families of Dang and Dinh are living in impoverished circumstances. The local authorities hope that people everywhere can offer support to help the families overcome dire difficulties.
 
People can contact Cao Ty, tel: 0782562206, to offer support to Dang or Cao Dinh, tel: 0334733135, to help Dinh. Besides, benefactors can also contact Khanh Hoa Newspaper office at 77 Yersin St., Nha Trang City, tel: 0258.3822019, or send donation to Khanh Hoa Newspaper’s bank account at Vietcombank Nha Trang (account number 0581000765262).
 
H.Duong
Translated by H.N