Helping Hai Nyguyen
Hai Nguyen was born in Vietnam, he became disfigured at an early age when he was diagnosed with a blood born cyst that became a mass so large that it completely overtook his right leg which rendering him completely disabled due to his disease.
The founder of the Tree of Life Foundation International, Inc., Mrs. Amanda Schumacher learned of Hai’s condition through his sister Cindy, an employee of a beauty salon in Florida. Feeling compassion toward Hai’s plight Mrs. Schumacher through the foundation desired to help aid him. The foundation was able to raise funds to help him with medications; after some time it became apparent that the support being provided was not a permanent solution.
The journey to bring Hai to the United States (US) began, the intention was to bring Hai to the US for more in depth testing, and pre-surgical evaluation with an expected length of stay of six to twelve months. Contact attempts were made to doctors and other foundations as well as to the offices of then, Florida Senator Grorge LeMiex as well as the US consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Ultimately though the visa petition was denied and Hai was unable to travel to the US for treatment.
Cindy the salon owner happened to be watching a medical show on the Discovery channel when she witnessed Dr. McKay McKinnon, a Chicago based plastic surgeon performing a high risk surgery. It was then that she contacted the foundation with his name and the foundation was able to contact Dr. McKinnon immediately. Dr. McKinnon visited the foundation shortly after he was contacted, and was able to speak with Hai via Skype and agreed to help Hai.
The foundation hosted a “Walk in my Shoes” luncheon to raise funds to cover Hai’s surgery, 100% of the proceeds were used to fund the surgery. The Foundation along with Morning Star Entertainment covered the cost for Dr. McKinnon and his team’s trip to Vietnam to perform Hai’s surgery. Unfortunately the surgery could not proceed at HCMC Oncology Tumor Hospital with initial schedule date but hope was not lost, Mrs. Schumacher knew in her heart that Hai would have the surgery somehow.
Several months later after another hospital agreed to accept that the surgery could take place in their facility Dr. McKinnon and his team returned to Vietnam. They performed a 3-day marathon of surgeries at the FV Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, which included surgery on Hai, and two other severe tumor cases that Dr. McKinnon graciously agreed to perform.
Millions of people from all around the world celebrated the success of the groundbreaking surgeries. Dr. McKinnon successfully removed the 198 pound tumor from Hai, the surgery lasted 12 hours and included a team of 60 doctors, nurses and medical technicians. During the surgery Hai received seven liters of blood, he knew the risks as he agreed to the surgery knowing that his chances for success were only 50%. Dr. McKinnon described the surgery as radical, explaining that the origin of the tumor was removed and he didn’t believe there was a significant risk of recurrence.
Dr. McKinnon and his team performed the surgeries Pro-bono; The Tree of Life Foundation International, Inc. paid a $4,000 of the $12,000 total cost required by FV Hospital for the surgery. The remaining balance was covered by local and international donations. Dr. McKinnon has been hailed “fairy” and for having “supernatural power” on many forums for his kindness and talent.
Hai stated Dr. McKinnon is like his second father for giving him a new life and he will be grateful to him and everyone involved that worked together for him to receive his surgery and medical care.
Quote from Hai: “I was told I woke up close to two days after the surgery. My eyes barely opened, I touched where the tumor was supposed to be. An indescribable sensation hit me, knowing that it’s gone. I said to myself from today on, I really start to live.”
Please consider donating to Tree of Life Foundation International, Inc.’s Medical Branch so that we can continue to help those in medical need in our local and global communities.
Helping Hai Nyguyen
Hai Nguyen was born in Vietnam, he became disfigured at an early age when he was diagnosed with a blood born cyst that became a mass so large that it completely overtook his right leg which rendering him completely disabled due to his disease.
The founder of the Tree of Life Foundation International, Inc., Mrs. Amanda Schumacher learned of Hai’s condition through his sister Cindy, an employee of a beauty salon in Florida. Feeling compassion toward Hai’s plight Mrs. Schumacher through the foundation desired to help aid him. The foundation was able to raise funds to help him with medications; after some time it became apparent that the support being provided was not a permanent solution.
The journey to bring Hai to the United States (US) began, the intention was to bring Hai to the US for more in depth testing, and pre-surgical evaluation with an expected length of stay of six to twelve months. Contact attempts were made to doctors and other foundations as well as to the offices of then, Florida Senator Grorge LeMiex as well as the US consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Ultimately though the visa petition was denied and Hai was unable to travel to the US for treatment.
Cindy the salon owner happened to be watching a medical show on the Discovery channel when she witnessed Dr. McKay McKinnon, a Chicago based plastic surgeon performing a high risk surgery. It was then that she contacted the foundation with his name and the foundation was able to contact Dr. McKinnon immediately. Dr. McKinnon visited the foundation shortly after he was contacted, and was able to speak with Hai via Skype and agreed to help Hai.
The foundation hosted a “Walk in my Shoes” luncheon to raise funds to cover Hai’s surgery, 100% of the proceeds were used to fund the surgery. The Foundation along with Morning Star Entertainment covered the cost for Dr. McKinnon and his team’s trip to Vietnam to perform Hai’s surgery. Unfortunately the surgery could not proceed at HCMC Oncology Tumor Hospital with initial schedule date but hope was not lost, Mrs. Schumacher knew in her heart that Hai would have the surgery somehow.
Several months later after another hospital agreed to accept that the surgery could take place in their facility Dr. McKinnon and his team returned to Vietnam. They performed a 3-day marathon of surgeries at the FV Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, which included surgery on Hai, and two other severe tumor cases that Dr. McKinnon graciously agreed to perform.
Millions of people from all around the world celebrated the success of the groundbreaking surgeries. Dr. McKinnon successfully removed the 198 pound tumor from Hai, the surgery lasted 12 hours and included a team of 60 doctors, nurses and medical technicians. During the surgery Hai received seven liters of blood, he knew the risks as he agreed to the surgery knowing that his chances for success were only 50%. Dr. McKinnon described the surgery as radical, explaining that the origin of the tumor was removed and he didn’t believe there was a significant risk of recurrence.
Dr. McKinnon and his team performed the surgeries Pro-bono; The Tree of Life Foundation International, Inc. paid a $4,000 of the $12,000 total cost required by FV Hospital for the surgery. The remaining balance was covered by local and international donations. Dr. McKinnon has been hailed “fairy” and for having “supernatural power” on many forums for his kindness and talent.
Hai stated Dr. McKinnon is like his second father for giving him a new life and he will be grateful to him and everyone involved that worked together for him to receive his surgery and medical care.
Quote from Hai: “I was told I woke up close to two days after the surgery. My eyes barely opened, I touched where the tumor was supposed to be. An indescribable sensation hit me, knowing that it’s gone. I said to myself from today on, I really start to live.”
Please consider donating to Tree of Life Foundation International, Inc.’s Medical Branch so that we can continue to help those in medical need in our local and global communities.
Photo
GALLERY
