If you're going to help someone, help them all the way!

Having gone through several "terms" with different group leaders, the current "leader" is Dr. Le Thanh Nga, 45 years old. The group's "headquarters" are also located at Dr. Nga's house (63 Man Thien Street, Hiep Phu Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City).

The charitable activities of the Volunteer Medical Group for the Poor are led by Dr. Le Thanh Nga.

Keep your word first.

Dr. Nga recalled: "When the volunteer medical group was established, I was a second-year student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Diligently following in the footsteps of my predecessors, learning both medical skills and ethics, I never imagined that one day I would be trusted and elected to a leadership position."

Strict adherence to the principle of transparency in income and expenditure, and upholding the principle of both saving lives and helping others, is also the secret to the group's credibility. Good news travels fast, and the number of benefactors who trust and voluntarily come to contribute is increasing, and consequently, the list of disadvantaged people who receive support is also growing longer.

Recalling the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the support from benefactors was primarily provided via bank transfers. Although no bank statements were required, the group still strictly adhered to financial transparency. Dr. Nga contacted reputable suppliers, ordering clean food at clearly stated prices. The income and expenditure figures were immediately reported back to generous donors. The group leader was so meticulous that she even recorded detailed videos of each gift package being distributed, making it easy for viewers to see what was included and for everyone to calculate the cost.

For four long months, Ho Chi Minh City was under social distancing restrictions, and the volunteer group became familiar faces at field hospitals and centralized quarantine areas. They became so close to medical staff, volunteers, and patients that even while wearing full protective gear, they were still called by their correct names. Maintaining social distancing according to regulations, their hearts knew no distance. The longer the fight against the pandemic lasted, the stronger their bonds of kinship grew. Indeed, the heart has its own language.

During their rare moments of free time, the givers and receivers seized the opportunity to exchange calls and messages of encouragement, expressing their boundless gratitude. This was something no one had anticipated just months earlier. These unexpected encounters, filled with compassion and sharing, blossomed and grew as they fought side-by-side against an "invisible" enemy. Dr. Nga herself volunteered to stay at the treatment center, wanting to personally care for the elderly and seriously ill pregnant women.

The volunteer group became a familiar face at field hospitals and centralized quarantine areas during the social distancing period in Ho Chi Minh City.

Kind hearts

Identifying characteristics of a volunteer group. This is reflected in their "three no's" brand philosophy: no seasonal or temporary work; no chasing trends; and no concern for self-promotion. Thanks to this carefree attitude, the group works tirelessly year-round. Of course, holidays and festivals are busier times than usual because there are more people in need of care.

For decades, the group's "headquarters" (the private residence of Dr. Nga) has become a familiar "meeting point" where workers receive free meals on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. These meals are a gesture of kindness, but their quality is no less than what you'd find on the market. The way you give is more important than what you give; all the food is carefully selected from supermarkets, ensuring food safety and hygiene is the top priority, a hallmark of the group leader's profession.

There's rice and there's porridge. Every Sunday morning, the group donates nutritious porridge to patients and their families at Military Hospital 175 (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City), where Dr. Nga used to work. Initially starting with about 200 bowls of porridge each time, they now consistently exceed 500 thanks to the contributions of many more people. Among those receiving the porridge are many cancer patients whose families are exhausted due to prolonged treatment. These hot bowls of porridge, filled with human kindness, help them regain strength and faith in fighting this incurable disease.

Having worked with the volunteer medical group for the poor for 25 years, Dr. Nga is also the only member of the group to have spent all 25 New Year's Eves on the streets. A few weeks before Tet (Lunar New Year), thorough surveys are conducted to avoid giving gifts to the wrong recipients. Each night, 30 members of the group distribute 400 Tet gift packages, each containing a red envelope, along with money, to street vendors selling lottery tickets, freelance workers, and, of course, the unsung heroes of the sanitation workers who keep the streets clean and beautiful. Ms. Huynh Thi Kim Truc, 28 years old (residing in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City), choked up as she said, "Every year we arrive home early on the morning of the first day of Tet, exhausted, but everyone feels warm inside."

Instead of traveling to enjoy the spring atmosphere, on the second day of Tet (Lunar New Year), the entire group hurriedly "marched" to remote provinces. Though far, it wasn't unusual, as the group regularly conducts charitable medical check-ups, provides free medicine, and builds houses for local people. Warm gifts, new clothes, and school supplies brought immeasurable joy to thousands of children. On the way back, they encountered many unfortunate lives. Even though they had run out of gifts, the group still gathered their remaining money, offering heartfelt generosity – "a little with a big heart" – hoping that everyone could have a happy Tet.

Although all of them live in Ho Chi Minh City, the members are quite familiar with the areas frequently devastated by storms and floods. Before the water even receded, they were already there, offering moral support along with countless practical gifts – small acts of kindness to help those in need overcome the consequences of the natural disaster.

The group regularly organizes charitable medical check-ups and provides free medicine to people in remote areas.

"Giving is forever."

This slogan was prominently displayed on a banner, marking the day the group launched. Although the older doctors and nurses were replaced by younger members, the message remained unchanged. It was touching and inspiring that the entire group shared the same thought: "Helping others means helping completely." True to their word, they embarked on a larger-scale and more systematic charitable project.

While the free traditional medicine clinic operates in the evenings at Dr. Nga's house, the "Zero-Cost Accommodation" for impoverished patients is located 15km away. ^{A 300m² plot} of land was used to build a two-story, fully equipped "hotel" with a capacity of over 50 people, allowing people from distant provinces to stay as if they were at home. This "fairy tale in real life" has become a reality and opened its doors to guests since December 2022. Currently, at 340/14 Long Phuoc Street, Long Thuan neighborhood, Long Phuoc ward, Thu Duc City, as described by Mr. Vu Xuan Lang, 74 years old, from Can Tho: "It is the second home for those who are both suffering from serious illnesses and are very poor."

Despite achieving something extraordinary and "rare," the Russian doctor still regrets not starting sooner: "We were planning to start construction when the epidemic broke out. The more than 4 billion VND we had saved to 'invest' was used to donate ventilators and medical equipment to field hospitals." It was then that the high level of determination of this team of white-coated angels became truly understood; obstacles could not deter their will, and they were only satisfied when the job was done. They ensured the patients had complete meals and sleep, and also provided physical therapy. Therefore, after only four months of operation, this haven of compassion has witnessed dozens of patients fully recover and return home to the joy of their families.

Driven by the desire for an all-inclusive service, including accommodation, the group then launched a "free ambulance" service. Hundreds of patients, even after being discharged from the hospital, have returned to their hometowns on this charitable journey. The "6-in-1" program reached its goal ahead of schedule: "Free meals and porridge, free accommodation, free medical examinations and medication, and free transportation for patients."

On their path of doing good deeds, these tireless feet silently continue their journey. They sow seeds of kindness, giving without expecting anything in return. Even so, the group's happiness is always abundant, thanks to the ever-increasing number of online inquiries from former patients across the country.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/da-giup-nguoi-thi-giup-cho-trot-185230610165413835.htm