Donxa helped finance one part of operations and also paid the check-up fees for 81 additional disabled children who attended the assessments in Son La. On top of this they covered meal and transportation costs of 21 children from the poorest families who were receiving treatment.

“We really want to take our children to get hospital treatment, but my family is so poor”

Lù Văn Quân and  Lù Thị Lánh are a family living in a small ethnic minority Black Thai village in the suburb of Son La city. They have two young children, Lù Thị Chuyên and Lù Văn Mạnh. Both of the children have disabilities but their parents did not have enough money to send their children to the hospital for assessments or for much needed treatment. Their father, Mr Quân, was also born with leg disabilities. Consequently it is very difficult for him to walk properly and this means his wife, Lánh, has to work hard to support the family.

“I feel sorry for my husband and children. We really want to take my children to get hospital treatment, but my family is so poor. I don’t have enough money. I have no choice but to just pray to God.”

Lánh’s prayers were finally answered when doctors at the Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital selected her two children for a free operation to help correct their disabilities. Lánh was ecstatic.

“I just hope they can walk and play as normal children do, that they don’t feel shy and that they can become good people when growing up.” the young mother said happily.

Like many poor families living in Son La, Mr Quân and his children are naturally delighted with the support they’ve received; which includes free check-ups and operations in the country’s capital city Hanoi, as well as being taught rehabilitation exercises to do at home.

Mr Lù Văn Quân and Ms Lù Thị Lánh are just one of the families who have received free treatment

Many mothers of disabled children have said that this is the first time their children have had the opportunity to see doctors from the capital and to receive treatment. Before the program, due to the high costs involved, their only hope was to pray for a miracle.

The majority of people living in the Son La area are poor farmers. Disease and poverty is rife and traditionally they thought that illness and suffering was simply their destiny and an inevitable part of life. Despite the local healthcare department encouraging people to attend check-ups, lack of money for transport makes it an impossible task for many families. Besides, much of the highland district is far from the healthcare centers with uneven roads and a shortage of vehicles.

Some Causes of the Disabilities

Doctor Vu Nam Binh, the vice chairman of the Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital, directly carried out some of the check-ups and operations on the Son La patients:

“We see quite a few cases, particularly from the mountain provinces, of patients with hereditary. It’s not unusual for more than one child from the same family to suffer from the same disability.”

Whilst in Thuan Chau District, we met a father and his two children with hand deformities- their daily lives are a struggle. In Muong La District, we met three cousins, Sồng Thị Nhia, Sồng Thị Nếnh and Lường Thị Mì, three pretty young girls all with extra fingers or toes.

Marrying young and within the family is common practice in the province and this can lead to genetic problems. Dr. Binh warns that this is one of the main causes of disabilities in the area. Dr Binh also sees many children suffering from scalds and burns;

“People need to be better educated in ensuring their children are protected from danger, especially the minority groups living in the mountain regions. Parents are so busy with their farms and trying to survive that it is difficult for them to supervise their children. This can lead to accidents, the most common being scalds and burns. Getting the right treatment is expensive- too expensive for many families. We have seen serious injuries on faces, chests, arms, hands… children with 40% burns. Some are so bad that their confidence is permanently affected and their day to day lives a constant struggle.”

Roby at the project in Hoa Binh