A+Child+of+Vietnam

 = My son's name is Ngayun Hanh Tuan ... =   He is seven years old and blind in one eye.

When Tuan was one year old, we found out about the cataract in his right eye. We got together our few belongings from years working as poor farmers, and walked to Ho Chi Minh Eye Hospital. When we got there we were sad to find out that he couldn't be helped because he was too young. They didn't have the tools or knowledge to help him at that hospital.

Tuan was a happy toddler. He wanted to go to school. But when he got there, the other children teased him and called him "one eye." He hated the trip to school because he got teased then too. Tuan has stopped talking. He seems to be in his own little world. We want to take him back to hospital now he was old enough, but Grandad and Grandma are scared that an operation could make him blind in both eyes. We are too scared to go. He is the only grandson.

__Tuan is ten__

A health worker is in the village. He says that there is a group called the Fred Hollows Foundation that can help Tuan! We have decided to get help for Tuan. The health worker says if we don't he could lose sight in both eyes from cataracts. We will go to the hospital where the surgeons are. We will have to leave our farm which we need to work on to get money, but we have no choice.

__After the operation__  Tuan had the operation to remove the cataract five days ago. The bandages came off today and he can see! We will now be able to return to our farm and not have to worry about watching over Tuan to make sure he is not teased. I cried when I realised how much his life will change.

__Three Months Later__ Tuan is now a happy boy. He has friends at school. He is working well at his studies. He can even help us with the chores! Tuan is now talking about his dream of being a pilot one day !

1. What would life have been like for Tuan and his family if he had not had the operation? 2. How has life changed for Tuan and his family now that he has had the operation?

Write your ideas on the discussion page.