Then and Now

Four years ago, shortly after birth, Thien Nhan was abandoned on the edge of a forest in Central Vietnam. He lay in the open for three days and was badly mauled by wild animals. Found by passerby, the horrifically injured baby was transported 2.5 hours by motorbike to the nearest hospital, where doctors performed life-saving surgery. Unfortunately, the child's right leg was lost and his genitals were badly damaged.

Last week, Thien Nhan, now 4, underwent another life-changing surgery in Bologne, Italy. Surgeons worked for more than 8 hours to rebuild the boy's penis and insert prosthetic testes. "The surgeons say everything went well and he is recovering," reports Thien Nhan's relieved mum, Mai Anh. Full recovery is expected to take three months.

[Top left photo: Thien Nhan recovering from surgery in Bologne, Italy. Top right photo: Thien Nhan in Intensive Care as a newborn in Central Vietnam.]

Moon Festivities

On Saturday evening Thien Nhan joined dozens of well-wishers and other kids at a pre-Mid-Autumn Festival Moon Party, hosted by Hanoi's Le Club. Everyone who attended enjoyed the entertainment and excellent food, including traditional fruit carvings. The kids were mesmerized by the songs and colored lanterns, while the adults helped to raise money for Thien Nhan's US trip via a charity auction. Sadly, following a stressful week of medical tests, Thien Nhan came down with a fever and had to leave the party earlier than he'd have liked to. He's now resting up to get back in shape for his long trip to Seattle on August 14th.

Fashion & Compassion

Many thanks to Dep magazine and the Le Club, which hosted a charity auction and cocktail party in Hanoi for Thien Nhan on Friday June 20th. The beautifully-organized event was attended by dozens of guests, including many models and women in gorgeous dresses--much to Thien Nhan's delight. Larger than life posters of Thien Nhan adorned the Le Club, and a video showed his progress over the past two years.

As well as raising VND50 million (about US$3,000) for Thien Nhan's upcoming trip to the USA, the Dep party brought fresh attention to our fundraising efforts. There are only six weeks to go before Thien Nhan will travel to Dartmouth, NH and Chicago for urethral surgery and prosthetic care!

Charity Auction

This Friday night, Vietnamese fashion and lifestyle magazine Dep is hosting a cocktail party and charity auction in Hanoi to raise funds for Thien Nhan's medical care. Thien Nhan is looking forward to being the center of attention at this glamorous event.