“Class is my excitement every weekend”

“Mom, it’s time, take me to class with my friends!” - the clear voice of NGH (5 years old, from Thai Binh ) echoed in the hospital corridor. The boy quickly took a chair, adjusted his clothes, then pulled his mother’s hand to the library of the Pediatric Hematology Department (National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion). Every Sunday morning, the small room becomes special for pediatric cancer patients because they can study and play at their age, temporarily forgetting about needles and chemicals.

Diagnosed with leukemia in March 2025, NGH had to drop out of school and go with his mother to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion for treatment. As a studious boy, H. missed his teachers and friends very much.

“Mom, I miss my friends, but I haven’t been to school for so long that I’ve forgotten all their names,” H. smiled sadly. Her story made HTD choke up. “She loves going to school, but because of her illness, she has to stay home for treatment. She often worries and asks me if her teachers and friends will forget her name or if she can still go to school. At those times, I just hold her in my arms and tell her that everyone still remembers her, as long as she tries to get better, she will return to class and see her teachers and friends like before,” D. confided.

NGH and her mother joined the "Sowing Seeds Class".

Since her son joined the “Sowing Seeds Class”, Ms. D. has clearly felt the change in her son’s eyes and smile. He is happier because he meets new friends, can color freely and receives gifts. Ms. D. confided: “There are days when I am tired after chemotherapy, but still ask my mother to take me to class just to see my friends. Seeing my son smile happily, I feel relieved. The class has added joy and motivation for the children to try their best with treatment.”

Like H., BGH - a 10-year-old girl from Phu Tho , who is fighting bone marrow failure, shared that, while in the hospital, the "Sowing Seeds Class" became her weekly expectation.

“The teachers and volunteers here are very friendly and gentle with us. I like writing class the most because I get to write down my dreams. I wish I would get well soon so I can go back to school, so my parents wouldn’t have to work so hard for me anymore,” H. shared.

Sitting next to H., VNHA (13 years old, Thai Binh, with bone marrow failure) is always excited to participate in fun science lessons because she gets to explore the natural world and animals. The “Seed-planting class” helps her nurture her dream of becoming a scientist in the future.

MNS (10 years old, Nghe An), who is being treated for leukemia, especially loves playing games. She smiled brightly: “In class, what I like most is playing the sentence matching game. When I answer correctly, I will receive toys and books. Sometimes I bring them home to show off to the whole hospital room.”

Even though the needle was still stuck in their hands, the children still carefully wrote each word of their writing with all their effort.

The innocent, pure smiles of the sick children become the motivation for the “Seed-planting Class” to be more persistent every day. In a space that is used to the sound of medical equipment and the smell of disinfectants, the small class brings to the children laughter, the colors of childhood and the gentle belief that good things always exist.

Every child at the “Sowing Seeds Class” has a dream: Some want to be a pilot, an artist, a teacher or a bus driver… and all start with the determination to overcome illness to make their dreams come true.

Classroom of Love

“Sowing Seeds Class” is an activity carried out by the Network for Children with Cancer, founded by Ms. Hoang Thi Dieu Thuan (born in 1987, in Cau Giay, Hanoi).

Ms. Thuan said that she had previously been treated at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion. At that time, the care and love from her family, friends, teachers and doctors gave her the strength to overcome her illness. After recovering, she always hoped to return to the Institute to give love as she had received.

“In 2016, when my health was stable, I contacted the Institute’s Social Work Department, expressing my desire to participate in volunteer activities. When I learned that I could organize classes for children at the Pediatric Hematology Department, I immediately agreed. I wanted to create a light and fun learning space so that children would miss school less and have more motivation in their treatment journey,” Ms. Thuan shared.

In the early days, the class for pediatric cancer patients was led by Ms. Thuan, from preparing learning materials, organizing games to going to each hospital room to invite children to participate. Without a podium, without lesson plans, the class was nurtured with love and empathy and gradually came into operation.

“There are children who are still chirping in class one day, but have to be taken to the emergency room the next day; there are faces that have been close to me for many months, and then suddenly quietly pass away. That is why I always cherish every lesson, every look, every smile of my children,” Ms. Thuan shared.

By 2021, when the "For Children with Cancer" Network was officially established, volunteer activities were organized more systematically by Ms. Thuan. The class was named "Sowing Seeds Class" and began recruiting more volunteers.

The children spoke enthusiastically in class.

Currently, the “Sowing Seeds Class” takes place every Sunday morning, from 9:30 to 10:30, for children aged 6-15. Each month, the class organizes 4 sessions with diverse content, including: Learning to write, learning fun science, playing games and organizing birthday parties for the children.

Ms. Thuan said that each class has a maximum of 5 volunteers, one of whom will be the main teacher. The young people often come from universities such as: Hanoi Pedagogical University; Foreign Trade University,... or high schools such as: Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted; High School for the Gifted in Natural Sciences (Hanoi National University);...

“Teaching normal children is already a challenge, teaching children undergoing medical treatment requires even more effort. They come to class with IV needles in their hands and bottles of medicine. Therefore, learning materials must be selected to ensure safety and suit each child’s physical condition. Each child has a different personality and situation, so teachers need to be patient, gentle and flexible. During the lesson, children may need to receive IVs, take medicine, or even feel nauseous or have a fever, so I have to closely monitor each symptom to handle it promptly,” said Ms. Thuan.

From that caring concern, the classroom gradually became a spiritual support, where the children often confided their feelings. The story that touched Ms. Thuan the most was the sharing of a girl with leukemia. She said that since she got sick, all the attention in the family was for her, while her brother suffered many disadvantages. Her dream was to organize a birthday party for her brother. “After that, I helped her realize her dream by organizing a birthday party for her brother. Seeing her eyes shining throughout the whole party, I was extremely happy,” Ms. Thuan recalled.

Trieu Minh Nhat (Cau Giay, Hanoi), a volunteer of the "Sowing Seeds Class", proudly said: "I accidentally learned about the class in October 2024, I was very impressed and decided to join immediately. Studying with the children and helping them ease the pain of illness makes me feel more clearly the value of life. Every smile and innocent look of the sick children is the motivation for me to continue to accompany and contribute to the class in the future."

Ms. Thuan said that in the future, she will continue to maintain the existing content of the class and hopes that young volunteers will bring many creative ideas to enrich and diversify the lessons.

Article and photos: TRAN HAI LY

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/phong-su/lop-hoc-gioi-hat-gioi-yeu-thuong-cho-benh-nhi-ung-thu-830544