Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan gives a speech at the ceremony. — VNS Photo Thu Trang

HÀ NỘI — A campaign of raising funds by text message to support poor cancer patients was launched on Sunday evening in Hà Nội.

The campaign was kicked off by the Bright Future Fund, the fund to support cancer patients managed by the Ministry of Health.

For each message ‘UT’ sent to 1406, the sender will contribute VNĐ20,000 (US$0.8) to poor cancer patients nationwide.

Information about the campaign is available at the website tuthien.vtcpay.vn/vibenhnhanungthu.

The campaign is an annual activity organised by the fund and its partners since 2013 to call for the community to work together and help poor cancer patients.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan said that on average each year, Việt Nam had about 182,600 new cases of cancer and more than 122,000 people die of cancer.

There are currently about 350,000 people in the country living with the disease.

“This is a huge burden, affecting the country's labour resources and socio-economic development,” she said.

Although many efforts have been made, cancer prevention and control research has been implemented, and preventive measures and treatment have been improved, the work to control the disease still faces many challenges.

Cancer patients face many difficulties, especially those without health insurance.

"Without timely financial support, many patients cannot access highly effective treatments and cannot afford advanced treatments," she said.

To cope with that reality, the Bright Future Fund was founded.

For over 12 years, the fund has supported more than 34,500 poor cancer patients nationwide with more than VNĐ57 billion (US$2.3 million).

In addition, the fund has been supporting cancer treatment drugs for patients worth more than VNĐ1.4 trillion ($57.7 million), and gives screening for early detection of cancer for more than 79,000 people, worth more than VNĐ46 billion ($1.8 million).

It organises cancer prevention and control forums with a total budget of more than VNĐ6.1 billion ($251,600), attracting a large number of patients, patients' families and people.

"These are very impressive and meaningful numbers. They confirm the correct and successful direction of the health sector in establishing the Bright Future Fund. It has brought invaluable spiritual medicine helping the society feel warm-hearted, helping poor patients gain more hope, energy and confidence for treatment and to return to a healthy life with their families," said Lan.

Associate professor PhD Nguyễn Thị Xuyên, Chairwoman of the Bright Future Fund, and also former Deputy Minister of Health, said that with a network of branches and collaborators at hospitals and cancer centres across the country, the fund has been a reliable address and the hope of poor patients across Việt Nam.

At the ceremony, participants also met special cancer warriors with touching stories about their strength in the fight against cancer. — VNS