Even though they do not wear white blouse, the staff of the Social Work Team under the Da Nang Oncology Hospital greatly contribute to helping patients heal mental pain and have more hope to prolong their lives.

Social workers (white shirts, left) and leaders of the Da Nang Oncology Hospital (first, right) giving flowers to representatives of benefactors who have accompanied the hospital over the past year

A bridge for disadvantaged patients

Since 2014, the Social Work Team has become a bridge connecting generous benefactors and patients. As a result, thousands of patients in difficult circumstances have received timely support.

To ensure the accuracy of each situation, the team's staff conduct verification with the locality where the needy patient lives. After that, they contact benefactors and seek financial support for the patients.

Having been in charge of the job for many years, Mrs. Tran Thi Nghia, a social worker at the Da Nang Oncology Hospital, said that not only is it a job responsibility, helping patients get support also comes from love, compassion and sympathy for the pain of patients and their families.

“Our top priority is to connect and help patients. Despite stress and pressure at work, our happiness is to see patients receiving timely support and continue to have a chance to live" Mrs. Nghia shared.

In addition to appealing for financial support to help patients cover their medical treatment costs, social workers offer a helping hand to help disadvantaged patients go home on zero-dong buses.

Regardless of time, on lunch break or outside of work hours, whenever there is an urgent need for assistance, they are ready to find sources of support for patients.

Besides, social workers always maintain enthusiasm, thoughtfulness and dynamism in organising programmes and be transparent in revenues and expenditures.

Social workers become a bridge between benefactors and patients

Initiatives for patients

In 2022, the Social Work Team launched the initiative ‘Green reading space’ in 10 departments of the hospital. This initiative received great support from the community and was recognised by the municipal Department of Health.

The ‘Reading space’ includes bookcases, plants, and chairs. The book source comes from contributions from benefactors, and doctors and nurses in the hospital. The book's content is controlled with positive stories, directing readers to good values.

“Since it was put into operation, the reading space has created closeness, a pleasant feeling, and psychological comfort during the treatment process for patients and their families, thereby helping them to somewhat alleviate their pain" said Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Tra, Head of the Social Work Team.

According to Ms. Tra, after chemotherapy, due to side effects of the drug, cancer patients often experience nausea. Faced with this situation, the Social Work Team is piloting the "Sweet home" project located at the Department of Gynecology. The project provides free candy for patients in a bid to help them reduce side effects of treatment, while also demonstrating the hospital's companionship for patients.

The reading space located in each department is a place to help patients and their relatives temporarily forget the pain of illness.

For more than 10 years, every day, the hospital’s charity kitchen has been regularly providing free meals for difficult patients three times a day. Meals are always guaranteed in terms of nutrition and food hygiene and safety.

In addition to models and initiatives targeting to improve the quality of spiritual life for patients and their relatives, the Social Work Team regularly coordinates with philanthropists and volunteer clubs citywide to organise meaningful programmes on holidays, New Year, etc.

According to Mrs. Tra, in the coming time, the Social Work Team will make efforts to have more good models and initiatives to improve the quality of healthcare for patients. She also hoped that charitable activities at the hospital will be spread more widely in the community to help cancer patients in difficult circumstances receive material and mental support.

Reporting by THU DUYEN - Translating by M.DUNG