Humanity of "dialysis neighborhood"

For many years, the row of boarding houses located in alley 457, Chau Phong Street, Gia Cam Ward, Viet Tri City, has become a "dialysis neighborhood" for poor kidney failure patients undergoing treatment at the Kidney and Blood Filtration Center of the Provincial General Hospital. Although each person comes from a different place and has a different situation, sharing the same kidney failure and living together in the same boarding house has brought them closer, helping each other to fight the disease.

Teachers, parents, and students from Viet Tri High School, Viet Tri City, donated gifts to kidney failure patients at the "Dialysis Village".

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nguyet, born in 1966 in Xen hamlet, Phuc Khanh commune, Yen Lap district, said: “I’ve been here for 7 years. Because the district health center doesn’t have a dialysis machine, I have to go to the Kidney and Blood Filtration Center at the Provincial General Hospital for treatment, undergoing dialysis three times a week, so I have to rent a room. We’ve decided to continue dialysis for the rest of our lives. In this rented room, we treat each other like family, relying on each other to survive…” Ms. Hoang Thi Huong, born in 1988 in Tru Duong area, Cam Khe town, Cam Khe district, who has been undergoing dialysis for 10 years, shared: “Before, when my child was young, I had to leave him with his grandparents, and I traveled back and forth constantly. Now that he’s older, I don’t have to go back as often as before. Every month, the dialysis costs are covered by health insurance, but other expenses such as the cost of some medications, rent, electricity, water, and living expenses… I have to pay for them myself, depending on my circumstances, but even with the most frugal spending, it’s still about 3-4 million VND per month.”

The entire "dialysis neighborhood" consists of two rows of rented rooms housing more than 10 patients who are battling kidney failure day after day, hour after hour. They include both young and old people, all of whom are poor and come from very difficult circumstances in various localities throughout the province. For example, Ms. Ha Thi Yeu, born in 1973 in Thu Cuc commune, Tan Son district, has been undergoing dialysis for 9 years. Because the district health center lacks a machine, she has to go to the provincial general hospital for treatment. Her two children have their own families, but their circumstances are very difficult, so Ms. Yeu rarely goes home; she spends most of her time living in the rented rooms. Another example is Duong Thi Thanh Phuong, born in 2002 in Zone 4, Phu Khe commune, Cam Khe district, who has been receiving treatment here for 9 years. She is thin and frail, and her circumstances are very difficult...

They huddle together in the simple rented rooms, sharing meals, drinks, medicine, and words of encouragement to fight the disease together. Without family to care for them, it is here that they have found a special family where all members empathize, share, and love each other. Ms. Lai Thi Bich Lieu, a teacher at Viet Tri High School, residing in Group 22A, Ha Lieu area, Gia Cam ward, said: “It’s so heartbreaking. Because they have kidney failure and need treatment, they have to rent rooms for convenience. Some people I see one month, and the next month I don’t see them anymore; only later do I find out they’ve passed away. Every year during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), I mobilize parents and bring students to give gifts to the patients living in the ‘dialysis neighborhood.’ Besides that, every day, I bring them whatever I can find out, helping to ease their difficulties in life. When they start dialysis, they accept that treatment will last a lifetime…” Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Lam, head of group 22A in Ha Lieu area, Gia Cam ward, said: "Since the 'dialysis patient community' was established in the area, the residents and people here have regularly shown concern for them, visiting, encouraging, and giving gifts. Every year, they organize making banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) for them to eat during Tet before returning to their hometowns..."

Perhaps the kidney failure patients in the impoverished slum won't be waiting for any miracles. Hopefully, in this difficult journey, with the empathy, sharing, love, and support of the community and generous donors, these poor patients in the "dialysis slum" will have their financial burdens eased, gain more faith and hope to fight their pain and illness, and rekindle their desire to live and move forward. Such help is not only valuable in terms of material support but also a precious source of emotional comfort, alleviating the pain and loneliness of these less fortunate individuals.

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Source: https://baophutho.vn/tinh-nguoi-xom-chay-than-231115.htm