The man has three types of cancer.

Sitting in the waiting area for his medication at K Hospital, Mr. Pham Van Thuong (69 years old, from Hai Tan commune, Hai Hau district, Nam Dinh province) showed clear signs of fatigue. After undergoing rectal cancer surgery 13 years ago, he has had to wear an artificial anus, making movement even more difficult.

Mr. Thuong was a retired soldier who returned to his hometown in 1980 with a military discharge. He got married and had two children, a son and a daughter. Working as a construction laborer, he and his wife encouraged each other to work hard and save money to raise their children.

In 2010, after days of continuous abdominal pain and losing 15kg, Mr. Thuong was diagnosed with rectal cancer. For four years, apart from hospital stays, even when he returned home in pain and exhaustion, he still managed to work as a construction laborer to earn money with his wife and children to support their lives and pay for treatment. During a routine check-up in 2014, he received another equally devastating diagnosis - bladder cancer.

He had to stop working as a hired laborer. Spending more time in the hospital than at home continued to test the perseverance of him and his wife. The longing to be with his wife and children was the motivation that helped Mr. Thuong regain his spirits and move forward.

Thanks to his adherence to treatment, his condition has stabilized after two surgeries.

In 2021, after experiencing persistent back pain, Mr. Thuong went for a check-up and discovered he had soft tissue cancer.

Diagnosed with a third type of cancer, he said he no longer felt pain or sadness. He only wondered why his fate was so unfortunate and miserable. Mr. Thuong no longer wanted to think about treatment; at times, he wanted to give up everything. However, thinking about his unpaid debts and not wanting to burden his family, he persevered and continued to live.

The former soldier continued his treatment for soft tissue cancer, but by October 2022, the tumors had metastasized to his lungs. Currently, the tumor measures approximately 2,5 cm. His health is deteriorating; he can no longer receive intravenous medication as before and must now use expensive oral chemotherapy.

Since 2021, after local authorities assisted with the paperwork, Mr. Thuong has received over 3 million VND per month in subsidies for victims of Agent Orange. His wife receives over 1 million VND as a caregiver for a severely affected victim of Agent Orange.

With his meager allowance, Mr. Thuong managed to save up enough money to go to the hospital for checkups and buy medicine, but it was still not enough due to the high cost of treatment.

"Over 13 years of treatment, my hospital bills have exceeded 1 billion VND. Now my family is exhausted, and I can't keep borrowing from relatives and friends forever. All I can do is leave my life to fate." Mr. Thuong said.

According to Mr. Pham Van Thinh, Party Secretary and Head of the Front Committee of Hamlet 2, Hai Tan Commune, Hai Hau District, Nam Dinh Province, Mr. Thuong's family is facing great difficulties. Mr. Thuong is a retired soldier affected by Agent Orange. His family is purely agricultural, relying year-round on a few acres of rice paddies for their livelihood.

He used to work as a construction laborer, but since falling ill, his health has deteriorated, preventing him from working. Already struggling financially, Mr. Thuong has been battling three serious illnesses for over 10 years, making his situation even more difficult. "Through the media, we hope that philanthropists will join hands to help him continue his treatment..." ", Mr. Thinh said.