Free meals warm the hearts of patients

Free meals were delivered to patients by volunteers of the Thanh Hoa "Rice Plate on the Wall" Club.

In the scorching heat of the summer days of July, the truck carrying free meals was still brought by volunteers of the Thanh Hoa “Plate of Rice on the Wall” Club on time for lunch to give to patients and their families in difficult circumstances who were being treated at the Provincial General Hospital. The meals with full portions of meat, fish, vegetables, desserts along with words of sharing and encouragement from the volunteers have somewhat eased the difficulties, helping patients feel secure during their treatment.

Holding the meal in her hand, Mrs. NTM, a relative of a patient being treated at the Provincial General Hospital, could not help but be moved, saying: “My husband has suffered from kidney failure for several years now, so every week he has to go to the Provincial General Hospital for dialysis. In the countryside, the family's life depends only on a few fields of rice, so the economic conditions are very difficult. Meanwhile, any extra money is spent on treating my husband and raising my children. My family's life is inherently difficult, so when I go to the hospital, receiving free meals is truly a "lifesaver" for my family. I hope the Club will continue to organize more meaningful programs like this at other hospitals in the province to help families in difficult circumstances like mine."

Ms. MTH is also one of the patients being treated at the Provincial General Hospital who receives free meals every week from volunteers of the Thanh Hoa "Plate of Rice on the Wall" Club. Ms. H. shared: "The dishes are carefully cooked, ensuring food safety and hygiene, so we are very assured. The thoughtfulness and enthusiasm of the volunteers in the Thanh Hoa "Plate of Rice on the Wall" Club when giving us meals not only helps patients in difficult circumstances reduce part of the cost during the treatment process, but also spreads love, multiplies kindness in life."

With the message "Each plate of rice, a whole heart", every week regardless of sunshine or rain, volunteers of the Thanh Hoa "Plate of rice on the wall" Club still tirelessly go to hospitals to give free meals, helping poor patients reduce difficulties in their journey to fight diseases. Mr. Nguyen Tai Duc, Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa "Plate of rice on the wall" Club, said: The Thanh Hoa "Plate of rice on the wall" Club was established under Decision No. 48/QD-CTDTH dated December 9, 2019 of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Red Cross Society with the desire to become a bridge between golden hearts, businesses, and philanthropists to share love with children with serious, critical, chronic diseases, and families in difficult circumstances who are being treated at Thanh Hoa Children's Hospital (according to the plan, the Club will distribute from 600 to 1,000 free plates of rice to children and their caregivers each month).

After coming into operation, the members of the Club have actively contributed and called for the participation of benefactors and philanthropists to join hands to raise funds. Along with that, the Club regularly organizes a charity concert once a year to create a spreading influence, calling for more benefactors to respond and support so that there will be more charity meals given to poor patients.

Thanks to that, not only children and their families are being treated at Thanh Hoa Children's Hospital, but over the years, the Club has opened its arms, sharing loving meals to cancer patients, lonely elderly people, patients with chronic kidney failure and many unfortunate lives in some other hospitals in the province such as: Thanh Hoa Provincial General Hospital, Thanh Hoa Mental Hospital, Yen Dinh General Hospital...

According to statistics from its establishment to date, the Club has received contributions from benefactors up to 3.5 billion VND, with more than 133 thousand meals given to patients and their families, equivalent to a value of 3.3 billion VND. In addition to giving away free meals, when receiving information about patients in difficult circumstances being treated at hospitals in the province, the Club's volunteers also directly visit, encourage, and connect and call on benefactors and donors to support money for the patients.

Although the meals are small, it is the way that the members of the Thanh Hoa “Plate of Rice on the Wall” Club and philanthropists share some of the burden with patients and their families when being treated at hospitals. This is also a deeply humane act with the spirit of “The good leaves cover the torn leaves”. Hopefully, the good actions of the Club will continue to spread in the community, so that there will be more kind-hearted people to join hands, contribute, and bring more free meals to poor patients.

Article and photos: Nguyen Dat

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nhung-suat-com-mien-phi-nbsp-am-long-benh-nhan-254253.htm