During the second annual mission in 2018, the OW organization coordinated with Vinmec Da Nang to support and assist poor individuals and those in difficult circumstances suffering from knee and hip joint conditions by providing free joint replacement surgeries at Vinmec Da Nang Hospital.
According to Dr. Scott Cordes, Chief of the OW surgical team: “We chose to cooperate with Vinmec Da Nang in the Central region because of our high regard for the professional quality of their doctors and medical staff. In particular, Vinmec is one of the hospitals in Vietnam with numerous charitable programs supporting treatment for poor patients.”
OW selected Vinmec Da Nang due to its high professional standards and charitable programs that assist underprivileged patients.
This collaboration has brought a new lease on life for many patients. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tuyet (78 years old, from Hoang Mai District, Hanoi) has suffered from arthritis for 10 years. Since 2013, after a fall and spinal compression, she had to wear a brace and found walking very difficult. Her wish for a joint replacement seemed increasingly distant due to multiple health issues and old age. Over the past year, her legs and knees became swollen, and she could no longer walk, requiring repeated fluid drainage that provided only temporary relief.
OW selected Vinmec Da Nang due to its high professional standards and charitable programs that assist underprivileged patients.
This collaboration has brought a new lease on life for many patients. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tuyet (78 years old, from Hoang Mai District, Hanoi) has suffered from arthritis for 10 years. Since 2013, after a fall and spinal compression, she had to wear a brace and found walking very difficult. Her wish for a joint replacement seemed increasingly distant due to multiple health issues and old age. Over the past year, her legs and knees became swollen, and she could no longer walk, requiring repeated fluid drainage that provided only temporary relief.
Wanting her mother to regain health, her daughter, Ms. Le Thi Thanh Ha, researched joint replacement programs and was fortunate to find information about the free joint replacement program by Vinmec Da Nang and OW
Mrs. Tuyet became the oldest patient to undergo surgery during OW’s mission in Vietnam this time. Dr. William Gilligan, who directly performed her surgery, stated: “The surgeons had to replace the joint to address degeneration, swelling, pain, limited mobility, and knee deformity. The surgery went smoothly, so the patient did not experience nausea or fever post-operation despite a history of high blood pressure.”
After the surgery, Mrs. Tuyet can now walk with crutches without pain. At her advanced age, being able to walk on her own, she shared her joy: “I never expected to receive such a great blessing at the end of my life. I was operated on and monitored by skilled doctors. The nurses and technicians, true to Central Vietnam’s character, were friendly and always smiling, which made me feel less pain.”
Mr. Vo Trong Khoa (52 years old, from Mo Duc District, Quang Ngai Province) was also very satisfied after traveling nearly 200 km to Vinmec Da Nang for surgery. He had suffered from bilateral hip pain for over 10 years, and for the past 5 years, he could hardly work. The burden on the family fell to his wife, and due to financial difficulties, despite years of pain, he had no choice but to endure.
Doctors chose joint replacement – the optimal method for patients with severe osteoarthritis affecting mobility. After surgery, patients continued to receive care in a controlled medical environment with pain management following a protocol jointly developed by OW and Vinmec. As a result, the majority of the more than 20 patients who participated in the free joint replacement program at Vinmec Da Nang in October 2018 have since recovered, with their quality of life significantly improved.
A week spent working, performing surgeries, and caring for patients, bringing joy and hope to underprivileged patients and improving their quality of life, has become an unforgettable memory for both the OW team and Vinmec doctors. Dr. Scott Cordes shared: “Vinmec has the best team we have worked with. The orthopedic surgeons are highly skilled, the anesthesiologists cooperate seamlessly, and the nurses are quick to respond, resulting in excellent surgical outcomes. The success of our first mission in Da Nang encourages OW to continue collaborating on training and developing joint replacement surgery programs with Vinmec.”
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