On May 12, FVH hosted a press conference to announce the relaunch of the Children of Vietnam Foundation, a charitable foundation first established in 2006 sponsored by FV Hospital and Thanh Nien Newspaper. Its purpose was to provide treatment for children and Vietnamese teenagers aged under 16 years from disadvantaged background.

Since its establishment, the foundation has raised in excess VND 10 billion for surgeries and care for more than 200 children with birth defects or trauma-related deformities. The success of the Fund prompted the foundation to launch its One Dollar programme under which FVH will donate US$ 1 to the Foundation for every patient undergoing examination or treatment at the hospital. Because FVH receives about 200,000 patients annually, the Foundation anticipates receiving at least US$ 200,000 for its charitable work per year.

The Foundation will also accept contributions from kind donors keen to support some of Vietnam’s most marginalised children and give them an opportunity for a better life.

During the programme’s inaugural initiative since shuttering, the foundation welcomed Dr Stephane Guero, also known as the “Hand Magician”, who offered consultation, treatment and surgeries for young patients registered through various means such as Facebook and emails. From May 9 to May 11, Dr Stephane Guero successfully performed surgeries on eight paediatric patients with congenital hand malformations, the youngest of whom was 12 months old. The Children of Vietnam Foundation covered all expenses for patients and their families, including meals, transportation and the cost of treatment. Dr Stephane Guero will return to Vietnam from France in November to perform surgeries on other patients sponsored by the Foundation.

Many people take their health for granted. However, for child patients with disabilities from disadvantaged backgrounds, having help to restore essential functions to their hands so that they can live life to the fullest is a dream come true and a source of great happiness.