On the morning of 20/3/2010, at Tam Hiep Cancer Hospital, there were many laughters as well as many tears at the party organised by the Hanoi International Women Club (HIWC) together with Making Dreams Come True Volunteer Group, to celebrate the start of a programme to supplement nutrition for the cancer children at K Tam Hiep hospital. Through the 12-month programme valued at 66,456,000 VND, HIWC will sponsor twice-weekly nutritious gifts such as seasonal fruits, milk, cookies, instant noodles... to assist the children in their fight against cancer. Making Dreams Come True volunteers will hand out these gifts on behalf of HIWC during their twice-weekly voluntary visits to the K Tam Hiep Hospital (on Tuesday afternoon and Saturday morning).
K Tam Hiep Hospital treats 103 cancer children, aged 3 months to 16 years. They come from all areas in the North and Middle of Vietnam, mostly from very poor families.
Dr. Tran Van Cong, Head of Padiatrics Department, K Tam Hiep Hospital expressed his sincere thanks to HIWC: "Each cancer patient has a burning wish to be healthy and go back to school. Behind each of those wishes is the doctors' struggles to do our best. Your help not only is a source of encouragement for the patients, and their parents, but also a source of encouragement for us - doctors, because we know we are not alone in the fight against childhood cancer".
Little Lành, Dr. Cong and Mrs. Que Nguyen - Head of Making Dreams Come True, represented a picture from Little Chien, a cancer patient, to Maeve O'Donovan, co-chair of the CAC. The picture is entitled "My Home" and HIWC's support can be compared the shades of the big trees in the picture.
Mrs. Maeve O'Donovan, on behalf of HIWC said: "I am very happy to see you here again here today, and to see so many wonderful smiles. It is HIWC's pleasure to work together with Making Dreams Come True to assist the children at K Tam Hiep Hospital, to meet your nutritional needs. I wish you to be happy and healthy and I wish all parents to be strong".
Famous Vietnamese actor Phúc Dĩ brought many wonderful acts to cheer up the children to help them temporarily forget their pains.
Mrs Ha said: "I would like to express the most sincere thanks from a mother's heart to other mothers, who are helping our children. I will sing for you a song about motherhood". Mrs. Ha, whose daughter is currently treated at K Tam Hiep hospital could not hold back her tears when she sang "Old mothers are like riped fruits. Slight wind shakes mothers to fall, to make us orphaned" ... All parents attended had tears in their eyes, thinking about the fates of the children around them
After the entertainment programme, HIWC visited each bed to hand out presents such as toys, books, tooth brushes, toothpaste, milk, cookies, fruits and instant noodle... The children were delighted to receive Vietnamese fairytale books. They begin reading them with joy, knowing that a real-life fairly tale is taking place right here today, with the help of those women who are from far away places, but who love Vietnamese children dearly and want to help them.