As early as weeks 29–30 of pregnancy, during a routine check-up, doctors suspected that Thinh might have a congenital heart defect. Unwilling to accept that possibility, his mother went from hospital to hospital in Đắk Lắk, holding on to the fragile hope that it was nothing serious. It was not until week 33, during a specialized examination in Ho Chi Minh City, that the family received a confirmed diagnosis: he was living with a complex congenital heart condition.
Thinh was born via emergency cesarean section at 38 weeks. His rosy complexion and healthy appearance briefly eased all of his parents’ fears. He was discharged home, and for a while, the fear gave way to hope. Yet only a few weeks later, each time he cried, signs of cyanosis would return, bringing the family back to a harsh reality. He underwent his first heart surgery at just over four months old. From then on, life became a cycle of follow-up visits, pneumonia treatments, and multiple cardiac interventions almost every month.
At the end of 2025, when he turned three, doctors indicated that he would need another critical surgery, costing more than 200 million VND. For a low-income family living in a small rented home, with the father’s work as a construction laborer as the main source of income, this amount was beyond their means. Not to mention that since the day he was born, the family has had little to no stable income, as most of their time has been spent in hospitals caring for him.
Fortunately, with the support of Mr. and Mrs. Ngọc Vân and AVA Coffee through the Scar Of Life program, Thinh was able to undergo surgery. The program sincerely thanks the family for giving him the opportunity to grow up healthy, and for spreading hope to many other young hearts still waiting for support.
