A poor couple in Quang Nam Province is in desperate need of help for the treatment of their son who is suffering from blood cancer.

 Tran Bui Quoc Tuan in hospital

The 8-year-old boy is Tran Bui Quoc Tuan, the first child of a four-member family in Kham Duc Town.

His mother, Bui Thi Lieu Oanh, said Tuan had a fever about one year ago. She brought him to various hospitals but no one was able to diagnose his illness. Tuan was diagnosed with blood cancer after the second marrow test at Danang Hospital for Women and Children.

After the treatment, Tuan's health got better and he was discharged. However, three weeks ago, he had to return to the hospital because of cancer recurrence.

"He's such a small child, he doesn't know anything yet. There are nights I can't help but cry beside him while he sleeps," Oanh said. She also said what worried her most is Tuan might not be cured because doctors said the success rate for the second treatment was low.

 Oanh worried about treatment cost

Oanh's husband is a bricklayer and she is a small farmer. Since Tuan got ill, both of them have stopped working to care for him. They have borrowed money from anyone they could to pay hospital charges and have exhausted their sources. Now, they rely on charity groups.

Dr. Truong Thanh Tam at Danang Hospital for Women and Children said they need to give him an iv port to reduce pain and infection. But Tuan's family cannot afford the VND11 million (USD523) port, and many medicines for this illness are not covered by health insurance.

In addition, Tuan must undergo four treatment sessions, each costing VND100 million. The best solution would be a bone marrow transplant but it would cost VND700 million and they would need a suitable donor.

Oanh said she only hoped to have VND11 million in order to reduce Tuan's pain for now.

Upon reading the story, Viet Capital Bank donated VND2.5 million to Tuan's family via Dantri's Compassionate Hearts Charity Fund.

If you want to help Tuan, please make donation through

1. Code 1301: Tran Van Nhon (Tuan's father) from Cluster 1, Kham Duc Town, Phuoc Son District, Quang Nam Province.

Tel: 01202. 476. 301

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

No. 2/48 Giang Vo Str., Dong Da Dist., Hanoi