Volunteers bring food and essential commodities to cancer patients (Photo: SGGP)
Many poor cancer patients being treated in HCMC-based Tumor Hospital have been provided free accommodation and food. The timely assistance has helped poor cancer patients to feel secure to cure and overcome the pandemic.
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic in Ho Chi Minh City, a group of philanthropists including Pham Thi Lan in Go Vap District, Tran Kim Thoa in District 1 and Nguyen Thi Thuy in Tan Phu District jointly established the project "Supporting cancer patients" in July 2021 to provide accommodation, hospital fees, and travel fees to many poor cancer patients the hospital who have been facing many difficulties. The project focuses on helping moneyless cancer patients being treated at Oncology Hospital in Binh Thanh District and in Thu Duc City.
At first, these philanthropists encouraged house landlords to give free shelters for patients or accommodation with cheap rent; but later, realizing that patients bumping into difficulties in buying essential goods and medicine, the group has set up a team of volunteers who will pick up patients to the hospitals for periodic medical checkup.
In addition, the project has also provided free meals and food to patients in rental houses and free Covid-19 quick test to curb infection in the community. Up to now, several voluntary organizations and volunteers in the city have joined and supported the group of philanthropists.
Landlord Pham Ngoc Thanh in Hoc Mon District agreed to help poor cancer patients by giving free accommodation. He has also voluntarily taken patients to hospitals for regular check-ups and provided free food for them.
One of philanthropists Pham Thi Lan, HR manager of TPP Software Joint Stock Company, co-founder of the project, this project was set up to share with poor cancer patients who will become weaker if they contract Covid-19.
The support of free accommodation and food partly helps patients feel more relieved when they do not have to worry about meals or rents amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They will spend their savings on buying medicines.
Joy filled her eyes, 41-year-old Ho Thi Hien hailing from the South-Central Province of Khanh Hoa expressed her gratitude to philanthropists and the project. She shared that she and her husband arrived in Ho Chi Minh City to treat cancer for nearly two weeks.
She added during the treatment, it is necessary to rent an apartment near the hospital to facilitate travel and examination. Benefactors have helped to provide them with free meals, essential food, and travel to the hospital.
So far, the project has provided free accommodation for tens of destitute cancer patients. Additionally, the project has encouraged landlords to reduce the rents for cancer patients.
