Sick children from poor families are getting the surgery they need thanks to the remarkable Children of Vietnam Charitable Fund. The group has sponsored surgery for 12 children from March 30 to April 8 this year. Those children, from needy families in HCMC, Vung Tau, Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces, suffer from birth defects in the digestive and urinary system such as undescended testicle and hirschprung’s disease. The children will receive their operation with the leading doctors available and an appropriate follow-up with a physiotherapist to help them fully recover from the surgery. The average age of children to undergo surgery is between five to six. Two are less than 24 months and one is a month old baby.
Dr. Godefroy De Miscault, an expert in pediatric surgery from France, is renowned for his skill and experience in treating digestive, chest and urinary problems and he has performed hundreds of life-changing surgeries on young people. Based at Nancy University Hospital, France and with more than 25 years of experience in paediatric surgery, Dr. Godefroy comes to HCMC once a year to treat difficult cases at FV Hospital in the city’s District 7 and the ones which require his professional knowledge. This is Dr. Godefroy’s fifth annual trip to Vietnam. The cost of the operations, which are estimated at around VND400 million, will be met by the children’s fund. FV Hospital offers support with a discount in surgical fees, it provides free consultations with world-class doctors, free food and accommodation to children and their families and transportation. The fund was founded by Thanh Nien newspaper, Professor Duong Quang Trung, MD PhD, former president of the HCMC Medical Association, and FVH in June 2006 to support children who were born with physical deformities or traumatic injuries. (english.thesaigontimes.vn April 1)
