Heartbreaking pain of a father with four Agent Orange – affected children

The war has receded but its consequences left many families with heavy pains and losses. Among those, the family of Mr. Pham Van Phuc, living in Do Xa residential group, Thanh Chau ward, Phu Ly city, Ha Nam province suffer from a lot of pain when all four children were born with sequelae of Agent Orange.

Receiving us in a simple fourth-grade house, he began his story: In 1963, following the sacred call of the Fatherland, Mr. Phuc enlisted, stationed in Ninh Binh, then he was trained at an officer school and deployed to the fierce battle of Quang Tri. In 1974, being demobilized, he returned to his locality got married in 1975 to his wife, Mrs. Dinh Thi My from Ninh Binh province. In 1976, they had their first child, Pham Minh Duc. When he was born, he was congenitally deformed and mentally retarded. Still keeping hope for healthy children, he and his wife put their faith in the next births. But unfortunately, health conditions of their next children were not much better. In total, all their four children, 3 boys and 1 girl, are affected by Agent Orange. Their health declines; they often suffer from illnesses and inability to work, so their economic condition is very difficult. For nearly 40 years, he and his wife have been exposed to screaming and smashing. They had to borrow money several times to take their children to the hospital for treatment, but their illnesses are getting worse day by day. In particular, he does not dare to leave any valuables and documents at home for fear of being broken and burnt.

Hearing her husband\'s confession, tears flowed from Mrs. My: Our third child kept wandering around. For many years, in addition to being parents, we also become their doctors and their friends sharing their sadness and joy. Sometimes, we have to act as dumb people to play with them.

Currently, Mr. Phuc\'s family lives mainly on subsidies. Of his 4 children, 3 are entitled to allowance but still depend on their parents. The daughter’s cognitive ability is better but she recently just got a metastatic thyroid cancer. Thinking about their children\'s future, Mr. Phuc and his wife expect nothing but health to be able to continue working and take care of their children.

When country was silent with gunshots, the soldier Pham Van Phuc, after fulfilling his service, returned home with the hope of having his own happy family in his hometown. But the deadly Agent Orange still clings to his life, robs him of everything, torturing his wife and his 4 disabled children ...

Leaving his family, looking at the pale faces, the innocent smiles with the soulless eyes of the 4 children standing beside their old and weak parents, we could not hold back our tears. The more we grieve for them, the more we share with the pain that Mr. Phuc and his wife are enduring. Those unhappy lives are in desperate need of support and sharing from philanthropists.

For any support and help, please send to: Ha Nam Provincial Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin; Or the Vietnam Agent Orange Magazine, account number: 0031116222666, open at: Military Joint Stock Commercial Bank, Thanh Xuan branch, Hanoi.