They are Dr. Le Thanh Do, nurse Nguyen Thi Xuan, and Ms. Vu Thi Hang, three people who have chosen to spread kindness in their own ways. They touch lives through compassion and perseverance.
A Doctor’s 21-Year Journey Crafting Prosthetic Legs for the Disabled
In a small alley of Minh Khai Ward (Hanoi), an older man with gray hair and wearing a white lab coat quietly devotes his days to making artificial limbs. He is Dr. Le Thanh Do, a veteran who has spent more than two decades giving people with disabilities new legs and new hope.
Since 2004, Dr. Do has been making and donating prosthetic legs free of charge to impoverished patients nationwide. What began as a few cases has grown into a lifelong mission of compassion. To date, he has helped 1,451 people walk again, regain independence, and return to daily life.
For Dr. Do, joy does not come from fame or wealth but from the radiant smiles of those who can stand on their own once more. Nearing 80 years old, he still spends his days in his small workshop, tirelessly helping others continue their journeys. Speaking slowly but firmly, he says, “As long as there is faith, people can always move forward. Everything I do begins with one word: love”.
The Woman Who Has Devoted 30 Years to Caring for Leprosy Patients in Bac Ninh
In the Vietnamese language, the word “thuong”, meaning love or compassion, is one of the most beautiful. It is not as dazzling as “yeu” (romantic love), nor as intense as “ghet” (hate), but it quietly remains in the heart. In Bac Ninh province, one woman has chosen to dedicate her entire life to that word. She is Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan, who has spent nearly 40 years volunteering to care for patients at the Qua Cam Leprosy Center, a place many would rather avoid. For her, “love outweighs fear.”
Born into poverty and losing her mother at age three and her father at ten, Xuan’s childhood was marked by loneliness. She became a kindergarten teacher and led a peaceful life among children. But at 31, she made the unexpected decision to leave her classroom and volunteer at the Qua Cam Leprosy Center, where she has cared for over 300 patients.
Her love helped her overcome fear and put her youth and personal dreams aside. She invented small tools, such as special sandals and custom pens for those who had lost fingers, so that patients could regain a sense of normalcy. She also organized fundraising efforts and planted trees and repaired homes, transforming the land once called “the land of the dead” into a lush and vibrant community.
When she reached retirement age in 2012, Ms. Xuan asked to stay on. Now in her late 60s, she continues her daily rounds to check on patients and still travels to 23 provinces to raise funds for building 198 houses of compassion and providing livestock to poor households.
Having devoted her entire life to others, Xuan chose a simple life without a family of her own, but she says she is never lonelyy, explaining, “When lonely people live together, they are no longer alone.”
The House of Sunshine, A Shelter for Children with Cancer
In the heart of Hanoi, near K Tan Trieu Hospital, stands a small house that is always filled with laughter. This is a special home founded by Ms. Vu Thi Hang, the head of the Tu Tam (Compassionate Hearts) volunteer group. For nearly 10 years, it has provided free shelter for children with cancer and their families.
Hang’s journey began with her own battle with illness. As a cancer survivor, she deeply understood the exhaustion, fear, and hardship faced by other patients. After overcoming her treatment, she decided not to rest, but to embark on a new mission: bringing “sunshine” to those still struggling in the darkness of disease.
Her home is more than just a place to stay; it is a true sanctuary. Each meal is prepared with love, and every few months, a small birthday party is held for the young patients. When asked how many children have passed through her doors, Hang softly replies: “Too many to count. Some stayed only for a day and never returned. Others came back again and again. Each child carries a story and a piece of my heart.”
One young resident, Minh Chau, said: “I’m happy here. Auntie Hang always takes care of me and throws us a birthday parties. I want to call her ‘Mom’ because she’s so kind to me.”
Hang's greatest joy is seeing her “children” win their battles against cancer and continue living with bright smiles.
Tune in to “Kind Deeds - October Edition: A Single Word, Love”, proudly supported by THACO - Truong Hai Group, airing at 8:10 PM, October 11 on VTV1 and VTVgo, to feel the transformative power of compassion - where every good deed begins with “a single word: love.”
