Performance to raise funds for child organ transplants

A live television music show to raise funds for children in need of kidney and liver transplants will be organised at the Hanoi Opera House on May 30, according to the director of the National Hospital of Paediatrics, Nguyen Thanh Liem.
The charity show entitled “Present for Life,” sponsored by by the hospital, the VTC Digital Broad­cast Centre and other do­nors, will gather such famous singers as My Linh, Tung Duong and Khanh Linh, and is expected to draw donations from individuals and enterprises nationwide.
The funds collected will be used to carry out medical treatments for children next month.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Liem said there are more than 50 children in the hospital awaiting kidney transplants.
Nearly 50 others are hospitalised every year needing liver transplants.
However, Liem said the cost for each kidney or liver transplant is exceedingly high. For example, a liver transplant costs about 600 million dong, exceeding the ability of many families to pay.
Liem said the hospital plans to conduct a liver transplant for six-year-’old Nguyen Thuy Hang in July with the attendance of about 30 physicians.
This will be the first of its kind carried out in the hospital and only the sec­ond in the country. Hang will receive a part of her father’s liver.
Hang is from the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai Her parents work for a local brick production unit at very low salaries.
At present, the hospital is supplying free food for all of her family members as they stay with her in Hanoi.
“The thing that makes us worry most is the expense of preventing rejec­tion after surgery. Hang will receive free liver transplant surgery. I expect she will have her medical expenses covered until she is at least 15 years old, thanks to donations,” said Liem.
Donations may be sent to the National Hospital of Paediatrics No 18, Alley 879, La Thanh Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi. Information may be obtained by calling 04.8343 176 (ext 224) or 0903225892; or by fax at 04.7754 448.
The live charity music programme will be broadcast on VTC channel 1.
Fund raiser
The Children’s World Festival on June 1 (International Children’s Day) will cap the end of National Charity Month, which began May 1, and raise funds for poor Vietnamese children with heart conditions.
The festival will happen in Hanoi and HCM City, organised by the Afternoon News (publication of the New Hanoi newspaper), the Vietnam Poor Children’s Association and Vietnam Television.
Famous singers and artists as well as 20,000 children will take part in the festival and decorations-fairies and Budd has-will recreate a fantasy” land for children to enjoy.
The festival will also provide information about poor children and how to help them.
Vietnamese television will broadcast the event live.
Money raised from the event and all of Charity Month will pay for heart operations, which would cost children US$2,300 on average.
So far, the organising committee has received 700 million dong (US$44,000) from the Asia Commercial Bank (ACB), another 700 million dong from Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam, and 450 million dong (US$28,000) from diplomatic organisations.

 

Category: Health