“It's been a long time since I've got this feeling. Tomorrow, I will buy medicine and return to my hometown to celebrate Tet, but I didn't expect that I was given a chance by the volunteers to wear Ao Dai (the traditional Vietnamese dress) and take a souvenir photo for free, in a beautifully decorated setting like this", happily said Ms. Vo Thi Kim Lien from Nghia Chanh Ward, Quang Ngai City, who has undergone breast cancer treatment for over one year at the Da Nang Oncology Hospital.

As part of their club’s ‘Spring of Love’ program, ,members of the "Love beats" Club helping cancer patients to wear Ao Dai as well as helping with their makeup to take a souvenir photo for free. Photo: D.H.L

Like Ms. Lien, many other cancer patients used Ao Dai of the "Love beats" Club's members to wear and take a souvenir photo for free right at the hospital.

Ms. Phan Thi Lan, a resident of Dien An Commune, Dien Ban Town, Quang Nam Province said: “I have been treated for breast cancer for 5 months. In the last days of the Lunar Year 2022, in the midst of worrying about returning home to celebrate Tet, the club’s members gave me a gift and lent me Ao Dai and helped with my makeup to take a souvenir photo, so I was very happy. They are friendly and helpful which make cancer patients like me happy. After taking a souvenir photo, our photos will be added to the frame and give them to the patients before returning home to celebrate Tet."

Both cancer patients and their family members or carers have also received enthusiastic support from young volunteers of the club.

Mr. Le Tan Huynh from Nghia Dien Commune, Tu Nghia District, Quang Ngai Province, a family carer of a cancer patient, excitedly said while trying on Ao Dai: "This is a very meaningful act that brings happiness to cancer patients. I am very happy to be invited to take a picture. Last night, I also joined the club’s members for Banh Tet (cylindrical sticky rice cakes) making. The spring atmosphere brought by the club’s members makes the patients happier after prolonged treatment at the hospital.

The annual "Spring of love" program launched by the "Love Beats" Club has been implemented at the Da Nang Oncology Hospital for 6 years. In addition to helping the patients with Ao Dai wearing and free photo taking, the club has facilitated them to participate in such other meaningful activities as making Banh Tet, asking for calligraphy, enjoying a tea ceremony, watching arts performances, and receiving Tet gifts.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung, a leader of the "Love Beats" Club, said that in two days, the club called on mobile police force, carers of cancer patients and college students to volunteer to make 200 Banh Tet on the first floor of the hospital.

All these cakes were given to cancer patients at the hospital. Furthermore, the club gifted money and sweets to critically ill cancer patients, each valued at VND 200,000 to VND 300,000 VND. During a night music concert, the patients were not only treated to exciting performances by domestic professional singers but also happily participated in singing to each other.

Nguyen Thi Duyen, a second year student of the Da Nang University of Economics, expressed her feelings after participating in the "Spring of Love" program: “ I knew about the program through the club's fanpage and found it very interesting to join. With my assigned task of assisting cancer patients to take photos, I can see the joy on each patient's face, and this small act has a positive impact on the patients, thereby motivating them to better cope with their disease. I hope that the club will provide more meaningful activities for cancer patients in the future in a bid to spread happiness and kindness around society.

Ngo Tan Ngan, a volunteer of the program, remarked: “After the Enter Film & Faifo Media Limited Company got media sponsorship for this program, I took on the task of filming from fundraising for it until the launch of the event. I find this program very meaningful as it helps many patients living in special circumstances. The club’s members are enthusiastic volunteers, thereby bringing positive energy into my life."

Reporting by DOAN GIA HUY – Translating by H.L