Mr. Hoang Truong, 53 years old, happily opened a bottle of water after being fitted with a prosthetic arm.
Sympathy for pain
According to data provided by the Provincial Association for the Support of Poor Patients, in the 10 years from 2014 to December 2024, the Mercer on Mission volunteer group led by Professor, Doctor, Physician Vo Van Ha visited Ben Tre 21 times. The group fitted 4,308 prosthetic limbs for people with disabilities, and examined and treated bone and joint diseases for over 13,600 people. In addition, the group also provided free medicine and gifts to people with disabilities who came to get prosthetic limbs.
The total value of 21 working trips of the Mercer on Mission Vietnam volunteer group in Ben Tre is nearly 37 billion VND. With consistent contributions to taking care of the health of people with disabilities and patients in difficult circumstances in the province, in 2023, Professor, Doctor, Doctor Vo Van Ha - Head of the Mercer on Mission - Vietnam volunteer group is one of two people honored by the Provincial People's Committee to be awarded the title of Honorary Dong Khoi Citizen in 2023.
The joy of having a prosthetic arm made Mr. Hoang Truong, 53 years old, from Quang Ngai, shed tears of joy: “I am a homeless person, without a family. Then I was taken to the Hiep Binh Chanh Disabled Support Center. My arm was amputated when I was a soldier in the old regime, it took me decades to get my arm back (with a prosthetic arm)”. Mr. Hoang Truong’s remaining arm is cramped and unusable. Before he had a new arm, Mr. Truong used his neck to hold a spoon to scoop up food. Now that he has a new arm, Mr. Truong can open a bottle of water himself.
Mercer team member, Prof. Dr. Craig McMahan (orthopedics and prosthetics) shared: “My biggest purpose in life is to help and love others and you have given us that opportunity. I will never forget the moments working with patients in Ben Tre. Those are the moments when people connect with each other, I am very happy to do this”.
Dedicated to healing
Prof. Vo Van Ha uses a treatment method that does not require surgery to place artificial joints or use stainless steel braces. He only injects anesthetics and manipulates painful joints due to degeneration back to their original position. Statistics from the Provincial Association for the Support of Poor Patients show that the number of people who come to Dr. Ha for bone and joint examinations often increases from 200% to nearly 400% each examination (around June and December every year).
About 13,600 Ben Tre people have been examined and treated for bone and joint diseases by Dr. Ha for free. There are days when he has to examine people until 12 midnight. Prof. Dr. Vo Van Ha commented: “Most of the people who come to the clinic are farmers or workers, they use too much energy but their diet is not enough to supplement their bones and joints. Then they degenerate, compress the nerves without going for treatment. People with bone and joint diseases must supplement calcium, glucosamine, collagen to make up for the deficiency, which will make the patient healthier.”
Chairman of the Provincial Association for the Support of Poor Patients Tran Cong Ngu said: “The Mercer on Mission volunteer group is a very special charity group. Over the years, the group has worked with the association to do many things such as installing prosthetic limbs for people who lost limbs in the war, people who were in accidents, diabetics who had to have their limbs amputated; and then treating people with bone and joint pain. What we admire most is that the group works with dedication and devotion.”
Members of the Mercer on Mission volunteer group hope to continue to come to the province every year to examine and treat patients with bone and joint diseases and install prosthetic limbs for people. Mr. Tran Cong Ngu - Chairman of the Provincial Association for the Support of Poor Patients said that the association will inform the group later. Because of the context of the province's merger, the association may have to dissolve. Currently, the association is waiting for the policy of the new province.
From May 21 to June 2, 2025, at the headquarters of the Provincial Association for the Support of Poor Patients, the Mercer on Mission-Vietnam delegation had its 22nd working trip to the province to examine and treat bone and joint diseases, provide free prosthetic limbs for poor patients and continue to support the activities of the center for the care of the disabled in the province. The total cost of the volunteer trip to the province was more than 5.7 billion VND, including: prosthetic legs, prosthetic arms, walking aids, crutches, bone and joint disease examinations and gifts for patients. |
Article and photos: Thach Thao
Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/tan-tam-chua-lanh-nguoi-benh-nguoi-khuet-tat-15062025-a148179.html
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