A youth in Viet Nam’s Mekong Delta has succeeded in realizing his dream of becoming a university student despite the eye cancer that threatened his studies.

Nguyen Huu Nghi

Nguyen Huu Nghi, a 20-year-old student from Phu My Commune, Mo Cay Bac District in Ben Tre Province, has achieved outstanding results at this year’s national high school examinations and is now registering for higher education in spite of his serious illness.

Nghi has suffered intraocular melanoma since he was in the fifth grade and undergone two surgeries to remove tumors.

A series of radiotherapy and chemotherapy sessions have caused a total loss of sight in Nghi’s left eye and his general health to severely deteriorate.

According to Nguyen Van Dien, Nghi’ s 48-year-old father, his family earns a living solely from their garden of kumquat trees.

With a monthly income of approximately VND2 million (US$89.68), Dien has been forced to sell many of his plots of land in order to afford the expensive treatments for Nghi.

“I have been struggling to maintain a stable income in order to ensure regular medication for my children, let alone their tuition fees,” the father said.

Dien and his wife, 47-year-old Bo Thi Tuyet Thu, have two sons, Nghi and his older brother, 21-year-old Nguyen Thai Huy, who are both diligent students but unfortunately not blessed with good health.

Currently a first-year student at a local medical school, Huy has been living with a stomach disease and cystitis, which also require frequent hospital treatments.

Nghi suffers a more dangerous illness, with his parents needing to take him to Ho Chi Minh City for better treatment, at a cost of VND2 million per session.

Thu recalled Nghi’s preparation for his national high school tests, while the rest of the family remained on “on high alert.”

“I reminded him to relax his mind every 30 minutes, as excessive stress would damage the surgical wound on his eye. His father and brother were ready to take him to the infirmary if he collapsed,” Thu elaborated.

An aspiring teacher, engineer

Because of his cancer, Nghi’s studies have been regularly interfered with by treatments, each of which lasts a week and has heavily affected his vision, as well as causing chronic headaches.

However, the young student has remained determined to take his place at university.

Nghi intends to continue his education in the pedagogy department of Can Tho University, or major in microbiology at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education.

Thu expressed her joy at her son’s excellent test results but at the same time remained concerned about his well-being while living away from home.

According to Tran Bach Tuyet, vice-chairwoman of the People’s Committee in Phu My, Nghi’s family receives VND360,000 ($16.14) in support every month.

Vo Van Phong, Nghi’s former teacher, stated that he, besides being a diligent student, was also very enthusiastic about extra-curricular activities.

(Source: Tuoitrenews)