The heart of a retired female doctor

At 82 years old, Dr. Nguyen Thu Van (residing in Binh Thuong B area, Long Tuyen ward, Binh Thuy district) is still tirelessly participating in charity medical examination and treatment groups that go everywhere to help poor patients. For her, examining and helping people is not only a good deed, a joy, but also a way to spread the medical ethics of a doctor in the most practical way.

Doctor Nguyen Thu Van examines a patient at the Charity Clinic at 100 Tran Viet Chau Street, An Hoa Ward, Ninh Kieu District.

Dr. Nguyen Thu Van was the former Deputy Director of the 30/4 Hospital (old), and retired at the end of 1998. Although no longer working, she continues to contribute to the medical industry by participating in many charity medical examination and treatment programs of volunteer groups or charity clinics.

She recounted: Seeing that she was still healthy and could still contribute, from 1998-2009, she, along with doctors, comrades, friends with the same wishes and Red Cross officers of An Hoi ward, coordinated to organize medical examinations and provide free medicine for the poor and disadvantaged in An Hoi ward and neighboring wards. After that, she joined many other charity medical examination groups such as the Can Tho City Retirement Club, Ho Chi Minh City Hoang Phap Pagoda, An Nghiep Ward Elderly Group... to travel to remote areas, provinces in the country and even to Cambodia. In recent years, she has regularly examined at two places: the Charity Clinic at Hung Loi Bridge Slope and the Charity Clinic at 100 Tran Viet Chau Street, An Hoa Ward, Ninh Kieu District.

During the past 27 years, Dr. Van could not count all the places and trips she participated in for charity medical examinations. But there were trips that left many unforgettable memories and impressions. A typical example was the trip to 3 provinces in the Central region. The group had to travel for many days, on long distances, examining patients from one place to another, making everyone tired. They slept on the bus, but thanks to the logistics of providing meals and water, everyone was still healthy enough to examine the people. Or the trip to examine Vietnamese people in Tonle Sap, Cambodia, which fell during the rainy season, with flooding everywhere, and a lack of clean water in that area, making it difficult for everyone to live. When returning to Vietnam, the car unfortunately broke down when it was only 20km from the border gate. The road was deserted at night, and the fields were deserted, making the whole group worried. Luckily, after waiting until almost dawn, the car was repaired and everyone returned home safely. In her stories, besides the difficulties, there is always sympathy and pity for the unfortunate lives, the poor patients who cannot afford treatment... Therefore, in addition to her efforts, she also takes money from her pension and does laundry for students who rent rooms to contribute to the cost of the trips, and contributes a little more medicine for the patients in need.

Perhaps, in addition to medical ethics and the heart of a physician, Dr. Van's good qualities were also tempered during her days participating in revolutionary activities. Born in Tran Van Thoi district, Ca Mau province, at the age of 13, young girl Thu Van left her family to join the revolution. From working as a typist secretary in the Southwest Region Party Committee, she was sent to study medicine and worked at the Western Civil Medicine Department and then the Can Tho City Civil Medicine Department. After liberation, she continued to be assigned to hold many important positions in the health sector, was sent to study medicine, worked at the April 30 Hospital with many positions such as Head of the Obstetrics Department, Head of the Personnel Organization Department, Deputy Director... until her retirement.

With her dedication, Dr. Van was awarded many resistance and liberation medals; many certificates of merit from all levels and sectors, especially the Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister in 2010. Recently, in early 2025, she was honored to receive the 65-year Party membership badge.

Besides her career, Dr. Van has a happy family with an exemplary husband and 4 children (1 girl, 3 boys). Her husband passed away many years ago, her children all have their own lives, she devotes herself to charity work and finds joy in the love of friends, colleagues and patients.

Article and photos: LE THU

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/tam-long-nu-bac-si-ve-huu-a186913.html