Tran was born into a poor family with no farmland to make a living. Due to extreme financial hardship, her parents were forced to leave their hometown to work as laborers in Ho Chi Minh City, saving every possible amount of money to send home so that her maternal grandparents could take care of Tran and her younger sibling.
The grandparents are elderly. Tran’s grandfather suffered a stroke, while her grandmother has hemorrhoids and poor health, yet she still struggles to take care of him. In such circumstances, Tran and her sibling have had to take care of themselves most of the time, from daily meals to everyday activities. Prolonged deprivation has left Tran physically weak with low immunity. She often falls, even from very minor bumps.
Both Tran and her sibling have suffered multiple leg fractures. While her sibling recovered quickly, Tran faced far greater difficulties. Repeated injuries combined with the family’s inability to afford timely treatment have led to serious consequences. To this day, Tran’s legs are no longer the same length, with her right leg approximately 5 cm shorter than her left, severely affecting her mobility and long-term development.
In 2023, Tran’s parents decided to return to their hometown to live with the grandparents in order to better care for the family and their children. Despite their best efforts, the financial burden remains overwhelming.
In July 2025, Thien Chi Center began accompanying little Tran by providing essential nutritional support such as calcium, vitamin A, and omega-3 to help improve her health and physical condition. In December 2025, the Center continued to support transportation and medical examination expenses so that Tran and her mother could visit the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation.
Doctors there stated that if surgical leg-lengthening intervention were performed to equalize her legs, the minimum cost would be around 50 million VND—an amount far beyond the family’s financial capacity.
As an immediate measure to help Tran walk more easily and reduce future spinal complications, Thien Chi Center introduced the family to a shoe shop in the town to measure and make custom orthopedic shoes. With great kindness, the shop donated two pairs of shoes: one for school and one for home use, helping Tran walk more steadily in her daily life.
These shoes not only make it easier for Tran to move around but also help her overcome feelings of inferiority and gain confidence at school—something that may seem small but is incredibly precious for a child in such special circumstances.
Tran’s family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Thien Chi Center and all generous benefactors who have continuously cared for, loved, and supported the family throughout this journey. This support is not only material assistance but also a great source of encouragement, giving Tran hope to continue nurturing her dream of walking normally like other children her age.
