Interview with Phan Van Hoa

IT specialist Phan Van Hoa lives in Hanoi, Vietnam. In 2005, shortly after the birth of their second child, his wife, Lan Anh, was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Hoa did everything possible to help his wife, including taking her abroad for treatment, but Lan Anh died six months later. She was 28 years old.

While Lan Anh was being treated in Singapore, Hoa set up a blog so that he could communicate with family and friends back home and report on his wife's health. To his surprise, the blog attracted the attention of many other people in Vietnam—not only offering support but also seeking information about cancer, or wanting to exchange views.

Because Hoa had been in the same situation, he understood the urgent need of those whose lives are touched by cancer to learn more about the disease, its causes and the various treatments available, and the importance of sharing experiences with others. Following his wife's death, Hoa resolved to do whatever he could to assist other people in this respect and, most importantly, to raise public awareness of cancer in Vietnam.

Hoa's blog was upgraded to a website: www.ungthu.net. It contains cancer related articles and documents translated from English into Vietnamese, relevant information material, a chat forum, and, poignantly, Hoa's personal diary of Lan Anh's illness.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Vietnam
• cancer
• Programme
• Action
• Therapy
• breast
• PACT
• IAEA
• awareness
• prevention
• palliation
• radiotherapy
• radiation
• Hanoi