A 12-year old boy in the central province of Ha Tinh has been struggling with kidney problems for eight years, and his condition is getting worse, as his mother is too poor for treatment.

Tuan has been struggling with kidney problems for eight years

Dinh Van Tuan in Thinh Loc Village, Son Loc Commune, Can Loc District, has been taken to hospitals since 2004 for the treatment.

After he finished fifth grade, his disease was more serious than they thought. This is when he was hospitalised, but he has remembered his teacher and friends.

Over the past three years, the situation has become more serious, as he is unable to urinate, leading to kidney and liver failure. Now he is at Ha Tinh Province’s General Hospital’s Artificial Kidney Faculty where most of poor patients are staying at. Tuan’s limbs have become smaller, but his belly is getting bigger and bigger.

He often has to hold a pillow to sit so he can breathe because it is very difficult for him to breathe when lying down. “I see other people sleep. I want to lie down, but it can’t breathe after lying down for two minutes,” he said.

His farther, Dinh Van Quyet said, “My family has nothing else valuable to sell for his treatment, except for a small temporary house. We have two other children and only 360 square metres of farming land for cultivation. Every day, I have to work as a hired labourer to earn around VND50,000 (USD2.3) for the whole family. We have borrowed a total VND200,000 million (USD9,523), but still continue borrowing more for my son’s treatment.”

Incisions 

Patients at the hospital said, Tuan’s mother comes to the hospital to take care of him while she is starving herself. She does not buy any food, not even a piece of bread. She has to save every penny to buy medicine for her son. “She often starves herself waiting for a free meal for poor patients in the late afternoon. Only when the boy gave up his food, she will take the rest,” Mrs. Lan, a patient lying near Tuan’s bed said.

Doctor Hoang Quang Trung, Head of Poison Control Falcuty, said the hospital advised the family to take him to Hanoi for the treatment in a hope to lengthen his life, but they asked for a continued stay the hospital until they could arrange the money.

To help Tuan’s family, please make donation through:

1. Code 1216: Dinh Van Quyet in Thinh Loc Village, Son Loc Commune, Can Loc District, Ha Tinh Province
Mobile: : 0934.383.399 or 0914.600.099

2. Compassionate Hearts Charity Fund – Dan tri Newspaper (Hanoi)
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.