Culinary Compassion: Lecturers and Students Cook for Pediatric Cancer Patients

Although we were still a few dozen meters away from Mrs. Lê Tường Vy’s house, we could already hear the sizzling sound of boiling oil and the delightful aroma of food wafting through the air. Laughter and lively chatter from a distance assured me that this house belonged to “”””Bếp sẻ chia – Nhóm lửa yêu thương,”””” a group of love and compassion.

Ms. Vy is a lecturer at the University of Law in Ho Chi Minh City and the founder of “”””Bếp sẻ chia – Nhóm lửa yêu thương”””” (Kitchen of Sharing – Group of Love).

“”””Hurry up, everyone, it’s almost 10 o’clock,”””” Ms. Vy reminded everyone while holding a tray of hot meals. The freshly cooked food would be carefully packaged by female members, and the strong young men would load the meals and fruits onto the vehicle.

“”””Today’s menu includes chicken with mushrooms, seaweed soup, various boiled vegetables, and crab soup. Some of the children are cancer patients, so there will be cases where they cannot eat rice. Parents can have the rice, while the soup is for the kids. In addition, for the very young ones, the kitchen will provide bird’s nest soup for nourishment,”””” Ms. Vy explained.

Depending on their health and medication schedules, many children would have a late lunch. Ms. Vy explained that if they used regular rice, it would quickly become cold, making it difficult to eat. This is why the group decided to use the best quality ST25 rice, and the food would be kept in separate containers.

Nguyễn Hoàng Thục Nhi, a third-year student at the University of Law in Ho Chi Minh City, has been involved with Bếp sẻ chia for over a year. While carefully packaging each meal box, Nhi enthusiastically shared, “”””Cooking is a simple matter, but cooking for sick children requires great care. Seeing the children enjoy their meals, and the parents being happy, makes me happy too. Suddenly, I feel warmer and more motivated.””””

At exactly 10 o’clock, the loving vehicle carried 300 meals, traveling over 30 kilometers from Thu Duc City to Binh Chanh District. At the same time, at the Pediatric Oncology Department of the Children’s Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, parents began to line up to collect lunch boxes.

“”””Children being treated in this department, some with mild cases stay for a few months, while those with severe cases undergo treatment for a year or more. So almost every parent remembers the meal distribution schedule. If the food is delayed on any day, they call to inquire before 11 o’clock,”””” Ms. Vy shared.

As she held the crab soup container in her hand, 62-year-old Mrs. Tăng Thị Tuyết Nga couldn’t help but cry. Her grandson was admitted to the hospital for leukemia, and for the past three months, Mrs. Nga had been scrimping and saving to cover the medical expenses for her grandson’s treatment. Due to their difficult family circumstances, she could only afford to buy either a portion of rice or porridge for lunch, and she would only eat after her grandson had finished.

“”””I’m bringing this crab soup back, but I don’t know if my grandson will finish it. These days, he’s on medication, so he’s tired. I’m happy with every spoonful he manages to eat. It’s been a long time since he had crab soup like this, and I’m sure he’ll love it,”””” Mrs. Nga shared.

After serving the meals, Ms. Vy and the members of the group visited each patient’s bedside to inquire about their health and whether the food suited their tastes. The following week, they would ask what dishes the patients would like to have. These small acts of kindness made the patients feel more appreciated than ever.

In addition to preparing meals, Bếp sẻ chia also supports the cost of treatment, provides gifts on special occasions, and provides prosthetic limbs for children in difficult circumstances. The pots of porridge and lunch boxes from the kitchen have gradually become a bridge to help more people learn about and assist these young patients, spreading warmth, love, and humanitarian values to everyone.

(Source: nld.com.vn)