VinaCapital Foundation launches Mr. Sun – a comprehensive program for children with cancer in Vietnam

On June 1, 2020, VinaCapital Foundation announced today the launch of the Mr. Sun program to provide funding for disadvantaged and underserved children with cancer. Motivated by concerned leaders in the community, the Vietnamese medical community, and supported by the VinaCapital Foundation (VCF), VCF will partner with K Hospital in Hanoi, the National Cancer Hospital, to implement a nationwide assistance program for pediatric patients with cancer.

The announcement of Mr. Sun is being made on International Children’s Day to underscore the commitment that we all share to improve the lives of our children, particularly those who suffer from diseases where treatment is far beyond the families’ economic means. To celebrate the introduction of Mr. Sun, Children’s Day, and our young cancer patients, VCF and Assoc. Prof. PhD. Lê Văn Quảng, Deputy Director of K Hospital, and volunteers will visit the young cancer patients in K Hospital to bring a little joy and a lot of hope through toys, gifts, and fun activities.

According to the World Health Organization, cancer is a leading cause of death for children and adolescents worldwide.  In high-income countries, more than 80% of children with cancer are cured, but in lower-income and lower-middle-income countries like Vietnam, only 20% are cured. The major reasons for lower survival rates in these countries are poverty, lack of information, and lack of access to essential medicines and technologies, all of which are very costly even for middle-income families. The number of cancer cases among children in Vietnam is on the rise and there is a shortage of national resources to provide adequate treatment and support for those children and their families. Many poor families abandon treatment altogether because of the high costs only to return to the hospital months later when their suffering child is dying. Mr. Sun will shine and bring financial and psychological assistance to those who need it most.

Mr. Rad Kivette, VinaCapital Foundation CEO, expresses his vision for Mr. Sun, “Cancer is a disease that attacks almost every family and the results are devastating particularly if the family is poor- hopelessness is devastating. Vietnam has excellent hospitals and healthcare providers and there has been enormous medical progress but cancer’s new cases and deaths have tripled in the last 30 years. The oncology hospitals are full of children and by most professional estimates there are an equal number of children at home who have abandoned care. Mr. Sun is designed to help financially with individual cases and other improvements that range from prevention and early diagnosis to education and counseling and improved palliative care in all of Vietnam. Mr. Sun will be a ray of light that brings hope and healing.”

Mr. Sun National Goals:

1. Providing financial support to poor pediatric cancer patients: the program aims to contribute to the cost of medical treatment for underprivileged pediatric cancer patients in Vietnam.
2. Developing programs to provide psychosocial support for pediatric cancer patients and their families: the program will provide treatment and psychosocial support for cancer children and their families and organize sessions to inform and educate family members regarding patient care and how to deal with the emotional burdens.
3. Improving Vietnam’s cancer healthcare capacity: the program will support training and capacity-building programs for healthcare professionals who treat child cancer patients in pediatric cancer centers in Vietnam.
4. Raising awareness in the general public about pediatric cancer: the program will organize public activities to share information regarding the causes and consequences of children’s cancer including all media outlets including social media.