Meet Hue, a Young Woman From Tra Thuy Co
For Hue, a young woman from a neighboring community, Tra Thuy Co, the impact of these new training initiatives hit close to home. Hue and her daughter Thu, attended one of the first Surgical Team Training Trips of the new partnership this October.
A cassava farmer, widow, and single mother, Hue cares fiercely for her two children. Hue has ptosis, a condition where the eyelids droop and severely impact her vision. Hue’s children have the same condition. Isolated from healthcare, the possibility of treatment seemed distant for Hue until she learned through her daughter’s school about a program offering free reconstructive surgery. This opportunity was part of a broader awareness campaign by the Children’s Welfare Department of Quang Ngai and ReSurge International.
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Motivated by the hope of her daughter, Thu, being able to see properly for the first time, Hue packed their bags and boarded a bus to Quang Ngai Hospital, where they joined 130 other hopefuls seeking surgical treatment. It was there that moment ReSurge Surgical Partner, Dr. Hau Trung revealed that not only her daughter but Hue herself was a candidate for surgery. She hadn’t imagined a future where both her and her daughter could see clearly.
However, both surgeries were a success.
The Children’s Social Welfare Department estimates that around 3,000 children in Quang Ngai province face similar conditions to that of both Hue and Kinh. Program Director, Dinh Duy Long urges that, “everyone deserves good care, no matter who or where they are.”
Moreover, Hue’s story isn’t just about receiving free surgery; it represents a learning cornerstone for local medical professionals. Young anesthesiologists, pediatricians, surgeons, and nurses all gained invaluable insights through observing her case. These young surgeons, under the guidance of Dr. Hau Trung and ReSurge Medical Volunteers, will go on to build up access to surgical care in their communities.
For Hue and Thu, it simply means seeing and being seen, perhaps for the very first time.
