In the quiet village of Chao Ha 1, nestled in the heart of Nghia Lo, Yen Bai, a remarkable story of hope and resilience unfolds. Hoang Thi Nhat and her husband, both born in 1989, celebrated the birth of their first child, Lo Bao Trong, in 2011. Their dream was simple yet profound – a wish for their son to grow up healthy and happy.
However, fate had other plans. Shortly after Trong’s birth, the young family received devastating news. Their beloved son had been born with congenital melanoma, a condition that would shape his life in ways they could never have imagined. Trong’s face began to deform due to the tumors that marred his skin, an affliction that would later earn him the unkind moniker of “monkey face” or “forest man.”
Amid the curiosity and sometimes cruel comments from onlookers, Nhat, and her husband remained steadfast in their love for their son. “There are people who have a bad mouth and say that my child is a monkey face, a forest man, because my family is like this,” Nhat recalls, her voice heavy with emotion. But they were determined not to let these words deter them from their mission – to raise their child with love and positivity.
Trong’s early years were marked by innocence and curiosity, shielded from the awareness of the differences in his appearance. Yet, as he grew older, questions began to emerge. “Mom, why is my face black and not white like your friends?” he would ask. Nhat, with a heavy heart, would deflect his questions, directing his attention elsewhere.
For Nhat, her love for her children only deepened during these trying times. Their family’s financial struggles, reliant on a small grocery store and meager earnings from the field, meant they couldn’t afford the surgeries needed to alleviate Trong’s condition. The tumor’s spread, particularly around sensitive areas like his eyes, nose, and lips, made the situation even more complex.
Trong’s suffering weighed heavily on Nhat’s heart. She yearned for a miracle, a way to give her son a chance at a normal life, free from the burden of his condition. Her greatest fear was that he would one day realize the difference in his face and be consumed by self-doubt and shame.
In 2011, a charity organization took Trong to a major hospital in Hanoi for surgery, offering a glimmer of hope. But this ray of hope dimmed when the organization disbanded, leaving the family without the means to continue the long and challenging journey towards their son’s recovery.
As the Vice Chairman of Nghia Loi Commune, Mr. Lo Van Cu, expressed, “Mr. Phang’s family, Ms. Nhat belongs to the poor household in the commune, lives with two wives. My husband has many difficulties… Trong has been born with melanoma since childhood. Even though his family has taken him to surgery once, it has not been cured. I also hope that benefactors can help so that Trong can cure.”
In the face of adversity, this family clings to hope and dreams of a brighter future for their beloved son, Trong. Their journey is a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the unwavering hope for a life-changing miracle.
