Heart for You and the 'revival' journey of an orphan girl

No longer having her biological mother by her side, but now the little girl born in 2009, Nguyen Thi Em, has "other mothers" who have supported her from the time her heart stopped beating until it became healthy again.

There are children who are born to learn how to stand up in the midst of cruel losses. But few people expect that there is a 16-year-old girl who has "lost" her heart twice, once when her mother died of cardiac arrest and the second time when her own heartbeat suddenly stopped in the middle of the classroom.

That is Nguyen Thi Em, born in 2009, grew up in emptiness and illness in Bao Thang district ( Lao Cai ). Her childhood ended early when her mother died when she was only 7 months old, her father passed away when she was 2. She entered the Social Protection Center No. 1 of Lao Cai province at the age of 9, living on a monthly allowance of more than 1 million VND and suffering from arrhythmia.

The moment the heart stops

On March 15, 2023, the disorder exceeded the threshold of endurance and Em's heart actually stopped. The 20-minute emergency operation, fighting for every second of life and death, made everyone believe that she had reached her final limit. But from that moment, the Heart for You program appeared - like a helping hand, helping the heart of the girl who had lost both her parents to awaken again.

"I felt exhausted and suddenly collapsed on the table," the girl born in 2009 recalled the moment she was close to death. The teacher rushed to help her, calling her in despair. There was no response. "I didn't think much about it and immediately took her to the emergency room," teacher Nguyen Trong Luong, Nguyen Du Secondary School, Lao Cai, recalled.

When arriving at Lao Cai General Hospital, Nguyen Thi Em's heart had stopped beating. The emergency team immediately performed CPR for nearly 20 minutes, a period of time when every second was the difference between life and death.

Then the miracle happened: Em's heartbeat returned. The doctors and staff at Lao Cai Province Social Protection Center No. 1 burst into tears of joy.

But the joy did not last long when everyone realized that this fragile life also meant a reality: She could have another cardiac arrest at any time. During the night, she was transferred straight to the National Children's Hospital for intensive treatment.

For the next two months, Em stayed in the hospital with family-like care from Ms. Ha Thi Thoa, a staff member of the Social Work Center of the "house" Social Protection Center. Doctors determined that Em had a dangerous ventricular arrhythmia, with a high risk of sudden death. The only solution to protect her life in the long term was to implant an automated cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a device capable of detecting and treating heart problems immediately when the heart is in a dangerous state. But the cost of the equipment and medical intervention far exceeded the center's capabilities.

When "Heart for You" appeared at the right time

During the days when the center was struggling to find a source to save her, her file was transferred to the Heart for You program. From there, Viettel - the co-organizer of the program immediately activated the emergency support process.

Not only sponsoring, Viettel also takes care of the entire process of receiving and verifying documents, working directly with the family or sponsoring unit, coordinating with the hospital and Tam Long Viet Fund to minimize the processing time. With dangerous cases like Em's, speed is life.

Beside me, I always have Ms. Thoa, an officer of Social Protection Center No. 1 of Lao Cai province. (Photo: Viettel Telecom)

Just a very short time after receiving the application, Viettel completed the assessment, approved the application and agreed on the level of support for Em to have an ICD implanted - the "life shield" that she needed more than anything.

More than a year after the surgery, Em gradually recovered. The girl from Lao Cai returned to school, living like her peers. No more sudden fainting spells, no more fear every time her heart beat abnormally fast. Her future was returned - a future that at one time seemed completely closed. She was dreaming of going to university.

During the Gala Heart for You on November 23, 2025, Em appeared with a gentle smile and bright eyes, looking no different from a healthy 16-year-old girl like many of her peers.

She spoke little, just sat quietly on the stage, nestled next to Ms. Ha Thi Thoa, an officer at the Social Work Center, who also took over her shifts, her sleeping hours, and all the worries that a mother should have had to bear during the months of her treatment.

Amidst the bright lights of the stage and thousands of eyes watching, Em suddenly put his arms around Thoa and whispered two simple words: "I love you, Mom."

After 17 years, the Heart for Children program has raised 250 billion VND, performing more than 7,500 surgeries for children with cardiovascular diseases. (Photo: Viettel Telecom)

Although her biological mother is no longer by her side, Nguyen Thi Em now has "other mothers" who have supported her from the moment her heart stopped beating until it became healthy again. And more than that, she has a heart that is beating normally, thanks to the efforts of the doctors, the center staff, and the Heart for Me program, which has given her the opportunity to live and be loved once again./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/trai-tim-cho-em-va-hanh-trinh-hoi-sinh-cua-co-be-mo-coi-post1080389.vnp