HCM CITY — More than VNĐ1.5 billion (US$65,200) was donated from enterprises and sponsors at the 12th Sun Flower Festival held on Sunday in HCM City to raise money for poor cancer-stricken patients.

The festival is a part of the 'Thúy’s dream' programme, launched by the Việt Nam Youth Federation and Tuổi trẻ (Youth) newspaper. 

The 'Thúy’s dream' programme for children with cancer is named after Lê Thanh Thúy – a high school girl known and admired for her long fight against bone cancer prior to her death on November 2, 2007.

The festival included different activities such as film screenings, music performances, scholarship awards and jogging.

Thousands of people joined the festival, including members of the Vietnamese female football team who recently won a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games.

During the past 12 years, the 'Thúy’s dream' programme has raised more than VNĐ45 billion (nearly $2 million) for poor cancer patients.

The 'Thúy’s dream' programme for children with cancer is named after Lê Thanh Thúy – a high school girl admired for her long fight against bone cancer prior to her death in 2007. — VNS