100 Friends and Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam ( HSCV)

Twice a year, Marc Gold and his organization, Friends from 100 Friends, (an American NGO), come back to Vietnam, to join with Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam (HSCV). Working together as one group, these two agencies do various projects and provide help for children and poor families who are suffering from various illnesses.

They also visit children who are being treated in the National Pediatrics Hospital (NHP) in Ha Noi. Both Friends from 100 Friends and HSCV support these children by absorbing the cost of hospital procedures to help change their young life. The corrective surgeries include: congenital heart surgery, cancer treatments, and orthopedic operations to improve a child’s m

obility. It can be a life-changing or even life-saving gift for children whose families cannot otherwise afford the cost of these operations.

DAY 1

From Hanoi, in the extremely hot weather of May, the group travels more than 200km, (120 miles) on a narrow country road for over 6 hours! We are carrying more than 40 wheelchairs that have been donated to the disabled people in Yen Dinh District, Thanh Hoa Province.

Arriving there in the intense heat of the May sun, we see many faces covered in sweat. Here, at the People’s Committee House, both the disabled people and their relatives waited patiently for the arrival of 100 Friends and HSCV. Despite the heat, they are happy to see us.

Marc Gold spoke to the people gathered at the People’s Committee House, “Thank you very much for giving us a chance to come here today to hand over a wheelchair to each of you. Do you know that the wheelchair that you are sitting in is not from us, but from thousands of Americans who raised the money in various ways? Some of the ways money was raised include the boys and girls who worked by washing cars, and a waiter who collected money for this charity from his customers. We think that you are like us: we are all born, grow up, and suffer illness and loss. It is the way things are in this world. You also have the right to equality as we do. We will work as hard as we can to help you".

Everyone is touched; some of the faces did not hide their tears of happiness. A day with us can be very long but also can be very rewarding — to know that a goodness to others in this life has been accomplished.

DAY 2

100 Friends and HSCV visited nearly 200 children in the Oncology and Orthopedic Surgery departments of the National Pediatric Hospital — which has been supported by HSCV for over 3 years.

Needless to say, the children were so happy when they each received some toys, candy, and cakes from 100 Friends and HSCV.

For the children patients with cancer, there can be periods of sheer boredom between treatments. For a child whose family is wealthy, they have toys to play with and are supplied by their parents with candy and cakes. But for the child whose family is poor, what little money they have must be spent to provide at least a meal each day for the child. Toys, a doll, candy and cakes are things too luxurious to afford. But today, these poor children have an opportunity to have their own toys and taste the rare treat of some candy or cake! You can not imagine how much happiness a little treat like this can be to children in such a grim place as a cancer ward. It also makes the parents of the children much happier too, to see their children smile again.

Among the children with cancer, a little boy, Long Trung Kien , (born in Ha Giang, an ethnic minority family), has been in the hospital for more than one month.

His illness is terminal. He has incurable brain cancer so the doctor decided it would be best to let him go home and where he can be in a much more comfortable and familiar setting. Kien’s Family is very poor. They borrowed more than 5 million VND, (about $265 US), from their relatives and both his young parents took him to the hospital so far from home. Now they’ll take him home, knowing that they can not save his life, and, will soon lose their son. It is heartbreaking.

100 Friends and HSCV helped the family pay for transportation back home. In addition, 100 Friends also helped the family pay for Kien’s hospital expenses and gave some extra money to Kien’s parents, ($345 USD) with the hope that – this young couple will have a better life in future with healthy children.

Blogged by Ngo Thuy Hanh - HSCV member