Help in Houston

Many thanks to Kids Without Borders' volunteer Susan for helping to make Thien Nhan's stay in Houston easier and more enjoyable. Susan and her sister have helped the family with transportation, dinners, etc. Yesterday, a friend of Susan's drove Nhan to his doctor's appointment.

Here's a picture of Susan, Thien Nhan and Susan's friend, Vu. Cam on!

To learn more about the Seattle-based volunteer-run Kids Without Borders go to http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/Home.asp

Prepping for Round 2 of Surgery

We are hoping that Thien Nhan, now 3, will go to the United States this fall for major genital surgery. Details are still being worked out, but Dr. Tue Dinh, a renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon from Houston, Texas has agreed to oversee the procedures. Dr. Tue specializes in genital reconstruction.

Thien Nhan's surgery would likely involve extracting the remaining third of his penis, which is currently covered by skin; creating a scrotum; and moving the undescended testes into the newly-built scrotal sack. While the viability of Thien Nhan's undescended testes remains unknown, the longer that these organs remain tucked inside his body, the higher the chance of damage.

These procedures are extremely complex, and Dr. Tue has set the estimated cost for this round of surgery at US$100,000. That's a lot of money! While enough money has been raised to cover this round, repairing the terrible genital damage that Thien Nhan suffered when he was abandonned at birth and mauled by wild animals will require several additional surgeries.

Like Thien Nhan's trip to the US for urethral surgery last fall, this journey will be organized by Hanoi-based philanthropist Greig Craft and Seattle-based Son Michael Pham of Kids Without Borders.

Please keep following Thien Nhan's progress and helping this brave little boy in his fight for recovery!

A Happy Visit

Some days ago, Thien Nhan and his family got a visit from their great friend Son Michael Pham of Seattle-based Kids Without Borders. This 100% volunteer-run charity supports a range of programs that aid needy kids in Vietnam, including the Go Vap orphanage in Saigon.

"It was great to see Son Michael," said Mai Anh. "The kids always remember him."

Along with Hanoi-based philanthropist Greig Craft, Son Michael Pham was instrumental in arranging Thien Nhan's urethral surgery in the USA last August. He even accompanied the family on part of their trip.

Plans are currently being put in place for Thien Nhan's second (and more extensive) genital surgery, expected to take place this autumn in the USA. Surgeons will attempt to reconstruct a scrotum, bring down Thien Nhan's undescended testicles, and extract his penis, which is now hidden beneath his skin.

Son Michael reported that Thien Nhan was very well. "He can move so quickly on one leg and has amazing balance," he said. "He is incredibly strong."

To view more photos from Son Michael's July 2009 mission to Vietnam go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39932570@N06/

[Photo: Thien Nhan (up), Nghinh, Little Minh, Big Minh, Mai Anh, Son Michael]

Preparing for Round Two of Surgery

The recent discovery that Thien Nhan, who will turn 3 in July, has two undescended testicles has lent new urgency to his situation. If left inside the body for too long, his testicles may become damaged. Most infants born with this condition undergo corrective surgery within their first year.

When Thien Nhan was attacked by wild animals at birth, he suffered so much genital damage that doctors were unaware that his testicles remained inside his body. "That he still has his testicles is another miracle," says the boy's mom, Mai Anh. "We hope that this will enable him to forego hormone replacement drugs, and even to father children one day."

Spurred by this stunning discovery, Seattle-based charity Kids Without Borders and American philanthropist Greig Craft are working hard to arrange for Thien Nhan's next surgery. His first genital surgery took place at Dartmouth, NH in the USA last August.

All being well, this autumn surgeons will construct a scrotum from Thien Nhan's own skin, bring down his testicles, further dilate his urethra, and extract the one third of his penis that is now tucked up inside his skin. This is major and highly specialized urethral and plastic surgery. The expenses and logistics are considerable.

Ongoing fundraising efforts are being led by Kids Without Borders and the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, which is founded and managed by Greig Craft. For more information, please visit http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/ or http://www.asiainjury.org/.

To date, much of the financial help received by Thien Nhan has hailed from Singapore, largely thanks to the heroic efforts of Singapore Straits Times cartoonist Lee Chee Chew, who has raised more than US$50,000 for the tot. To see Mr. Lee's artwork and donor list, please visit: http://chewonitcomics.blogspot.com/

Welcome Visitors!

Thien Nhan is excited about seeing his good friends Son Michael and Judy Pham of Seattle-based Kids Without Borders. The pair arrived in Hanoi today on a cross-country "Humanitour" visiting local charities and orphanages, like the one in this photo.

Last August, Mr. and Mrs. Pham accompanied Thien Nhan on his trip to the US for surgery. Thien Nhan is just one of many sick, orphaned and disadvantaged kids that this wonderful couple are helping via their 100% volunteer-run organization.

Check out the new design of their website at: http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/Home.asp

Special Guests

Last week, Son Michael Pham of Seattle-based Kids Without Borders (KWB) -- the organization that helped to arrange Thien Nhan's urethral surgery in the USA -- stopped by Thien Nhan's house for a visit. This was the first time that Son Michael had met Thien Nhan's eldest brother, Big Minh, 8, and grandmother.

With Son Michael were four youngsters from the Hoa Phuong Orphanage who are currently studying and working in Hanoi under the support of KWB's "Teach Me To Fish" program. During this trip to Vietnam, Son Michael visited a variety of orphanages and projects aided by KWB in HCM City, Hanoi and Hai Phong. For more information about the great work done by KWB, which is 100% volunteer-run, check out: www.kidswithnoborders.org/

In Little Saigon

Thien Nhan and his parents arrived in California this afternoon, for a few days' stay in Newport Beach. Mom Mai Anh was thrilled to find that their hosts had stocked the house with lots of their favorite foods from Vietnam. She looks forward to making some home-cooked meals. Tomorrow (Friday) will be a day to sleep in, rest and visit with friends in Little Saigon. Son Micheal Pham and his wife Judy, founders of Seattle-based Kids Without Borders and co-sponsors of Thien Nhan's US trip, will arrive in LA late Friday evening. On Saturday morning, the family will meet reporters at Little Saigon Radio & Television, followed by an interview with Saigon Broadcasting Television, which will be aired on cable throughout the US.

In Boston, Thien Nhan and his parents bid a fond (and temporary) farewell to AIPF's Greig Craft and Na Huong (http://www.asiainjury.org/), who did such an amazing job of organizing Thien Nhan's medical care in Dartmouth and Chicago. Paying all of their own travel expenses, the Hanoi-based Greig and Na Huong accompanied Thien Nhan on every step of this remarkable journey, ensuring the trip's success. Here's a brief exerpt from a letter sent to Greig Craft from English teacher Mr. Tran Tuan Viet, who correctly recognized Greig Craft's invaluable contributions to Thien Nhan's recovery:

..."I really admire the generous actions you did for [Thien Nhan's] adoptive mother Tran Mai Anh, whose heart and mind are noble . . . How many unfortunate newborn babies have been abandoned and what are their fates on earth? Fortunately, there are noble minds, generous hearts, charitable organizations and donors who work to try to relieve pain and bring brightness and hope to these children's world. You are one of them. . . I really admire your humane and generous actions. Good health and happiness!"...

Sleepy in Seattle

Yesterday, Thien Nhan and his family accompanied Son Michael Pham of Kids Without Borders to a Rotary Club luncheon at the Seattle Yacht Club (see photo), where more than 100 attendees gave the family a standing ovation. A journalist from The Reporter presented Thien Nhan with a toy mobile phone, and the tot promptly "called" his big brothers in Vietnam and had a long, imaginary conversation.

Tired out from jetlag, Thien Nhan fell asleep as soon as he'd finished dessert. Reporting on their second night in the US, his mom Mai Anh wrote:
"TN woke up last night at about 2am and played by himself in the dark. I heard him calling: "Duck duck!" and saw him playing with a toy duck given to him by Mr. Phi, a Vietnamese American man we met. He also called Little Minh on his new toy phone, then put the duck and his foot into my shoes and moved around the room quietly for about half an hour. Then he went back to bed by himself and slept soundly until 7am."

For info on Kids Without Borders, see http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/news/26131129.html

A Fine Welcome

Upon arriving in Seattle, Thien Nhan and his adoptive parents, Mai Anh and Nghinh, were met by Son Michael Pham of Kids Without Borders and swarms of TV reporters. Mr. Pham describes the family's arrival in the US as follows:

"Mai Anh did a wonderful job even being swarmed by the media with questions and after a long flight. Nghinh tried to keep Thien Nhan from falling off the stroller. And Thien Nhan was totally unimpressed with all of the attention, blowing kisses to the crowd surrounding him and then screaming "Let’s Go" after he got bored."

Thien Nhan's arrival in Seattle was covered by three US TV stations. To read one of the stories, go to: http://www.komonews.com/news/27008889.html Today, the family will attend a large Rotary Club luncheon.

Mai Anh wrote the following note about their journey to date:

"Thien Nhan slept very well during the flight and slept tight last night. We are in very nice hotel. Weather here is warm and so beautiful. We woke up early this morning and walked around the hotel under sun shine. TN pointed the car pass by and shouted so excited.
TN has a new trolley [stroller] and car seat. It is the first time he sits like this in the car. He looks so serious and happy in his "king seat".

The photo, taken prior to Thien Nhan's departure at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, features Thien Nhan's family and trip organizers Greig Craft (with his daughter) and Na Huong.

They're Off

After a quick stop at the EVA air office to thank the staff for donating a transit hotel room in Taipei, Thien Nhan and his parents Mai Anh and Nghinh were off to Hanoi's Noi Bai airport for their noon flight to Taipei. While nervous about leaving her other two sons, aged 3 and 8, behind in Hanoi, Mai Anh is optimistic that this trip will lead to great opportunities for Thien Nhan. At 11pm Taipei time (10pm in Vietnam), the family will board their overnight flight to Seattle, where they'll be met by Kids Without Borders founder Son Michael Pham.

Kids Without Borders

Thanks to the hard work of Greig Craft and Hoang Na Huong of the Hanoi-based Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, Thien Nhan and his parents received their USA entry visas yesterday, and will fly from Hanoi to Seattle on August 14th.

The family's air tickets were donated by Son Michael and Judy Pham, who run Kids Without Borders, a 100% volunteer-driven non-profit organization based in Seattle. Many thanks to Son Michael and to Judy for their generous support! To learn more about their long-running good works in Vietnam and elsewhere, check out the Kids Without Borders website at http://www.kidswithnoborders.org/Home.asp or email them at info@kidswithnoborders.org Their organization encourages schoolchildren to help other kids in need, thereby encouraging a lifelong commitment to volunteer work. (The photo shows a group of volunteers with some of KWB's beneficiaries on the steps of Saigon's Opera House.)

Thien Nhan, Mai Anh and Nghinh will spend a few days with the Phams in Seattle recovering from jetlag and meeting people involved in local charities. They will then will fly to New Hampshire on August 17th.