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Vietnam

H'Nhi's Story

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H’Nhi’s family had to borrow money just for the journey to the eye clinic. They worried they’d never be able to afford her treatment. 

H’Nhi is the only girl in a family of boys. Her mother wanted H’Nhi to have a better life than her own, but was worried this wouldn’t happen because H’Nhi was born with cataract in both eyes.

All H’Nhi could see was a blur, and when the light from the cracks in the walls of her house hit her eyes, the pain would be excruciating.
 
The family had to borrow money so that H’Nhi, her grandmother and uncle could make the trip to central Vietnam to visit an eye clinic. It was here that they met Dr Phuong, a Fred Hollows Foundation-trained ophthalmologist and the only one in all of central Vietnam who could operate on children.
 
Dr Phuong said children were usually scared of doctors and hospitals, but H’Nhi was different: she was brave. When her patches were removed a day after her operation, H’Nhi refused to open her eyes. However, when Dr Phuong asked where her grandmother was, H’Nhi slowly opened her eyes, pointed to her grandmother for the first time and gave everyone a huge smile.  

When H’Nhi returned home, the whole village came out to greet her. H’Nhi ran to her mother and threw her arms around her, telling her how she could see so clearly. Now, say her parents, H’Nhi can run with her friends and play in the sun with no pain. While she’s always been a happy little girl, she’s even happier after her operation.

H'Nhi after her patch off moment, smiling at a worker from The Foundation while they hold her in their arms


"This is the biggest happiness of our whole family. I just want to thank you so much for your help, for what you have done for our daughter."
- H'Nhi's father

Watch The Foundation visit H'Nhi 12 years after surgery