Dr Le Thanh Do finishes work on a prosthetic leg at his workshop (Photo: daidoanket.vn) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - There is a house andworkshop in Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung district where disabled people from across thecountry can come for a better life.
The workshop is managed by a special doctor, LeThanh Do, 70, who returned from the war with many wounds on his body.
As a soldier, he understands the pain of losinga part of the body. With a heart of generosity, Do set up a workshop at hishome to produce artificial limbs for people with disabilities.
Do had a hard childhood. He was orphaned and hadto live with his grandparents. He always earned excellent academic achievementsthough he faced many difficulties in life. In the 10th grade, he volunteered tojoin the army.
In 1958, he was seriously injured in his faceand arms after an attack of enemy planes. After two years of treatment, hishealth was not better. He returned home to work as a teacher and continued hisstudies at Hanoi Medical University.
After six years of studying at university, heworked at an invalid care centre in Bac Ninh province’s Thuan Thanh district.
His life has turned a new page because he ishappy to bring medical knowledge to care for wounded soldiers suffering fromparalysis due to back injuries.
“These were the years that I never forget, whenI worked at the centre. I was living with my teammates. I treated them andencourage them. They are like my relatives,” Do told the Dai DoanKet (Great Solidarity) newspaper.
During his time at the centre, he worked withsome charitable organisations. He also found help from humanitarian groups,non-governmental organisations, embassies and donors to support the cost ofmaking artificial limbs for disabled people.
He returned Hanoi after 10 years of working atthe invalid care centre and established a workshop at his house to produceartificial limbs for disabilities.
Nguyen Dinh Nguyen, one of Do’s patients from Hanoi’sLong Bien district, said that he was presented with a pair of artificial legsby Dr Do after suffering from a railway accident.
“The accident has robbed me of my legs and itwas a big shock in my life. But now my psychology has stabilised and I believein life more after a friend introduced me to Dr Do and he made me a pair ofprosthetic legs for free,” Nguyen told the Quan Doi Nhan Dan (People’sArmy) newspaper.
This is just one of more than 600 cases that DrDo has helped with over the years. Most of them are children and disadvantagedpeople.
He said that the process of making a prostheticleg takes a lot of time, from mixing plaster and pouring molds in order to fiteach person and help them live more comfortably and easily.
In addition to examining patients and supportingthem in obtaining prosthetic legs, he also encourages and advises patients topractise in order to regain the ability to walk.
Over 13 years into his retirement, Do is busierwith charity. The children with paralysis and cerebral palsy at therehabilitation centre have also often received health check-ups and artificiallimbs for free from him.
With nearly 50 years of experience in orthopedictreatment, he is still learning more advanced techniques to apply to hisworkshop in order to help people with disabilities have a better life.
The greatest joy of old age is simply being ableto help more people with disabilities, Do said.-VNS/VNA
The workshop is managed by a special doctor, LeThanh Do, 70, who returned from the war with many wounds on his body.
As a soldier, he understands the pain of losinga part of the body. With a heart of generosity, Do set up a workshop at hishome to produce artificial limbs for people with disabilities.
Do had a hard childhood. He was orphaned and hadto live with his grandparents. He always earned excellent academic achievementsthough he faced many difficulties in life. In the 10th grade, he volunteered tojoin the army.
In 1958, he was seriously injured in his faceand arms after an attack of enemy planes. After two years of treatment, hishealth was not better. He returned home to work as a teacher and continued hisstudies at Hanoi Medical University.
After six years of studying at university, heworked at an invalid care centre in Bac Ninh province’s Thuan Thanh district.
His life has turned a new page because he ishappy to bring medical knowledge to care for wounded soldiers suffering fromparalysis due to back injuries.
“These were the years that I never forget, whenI worked at the centre. I was living with my teammates. I treated them andencourage them. They are like my relatives,” Do told the Dai DoanKet (Great Solidarity) newspaper.
During his time at the centre, he worked withsome charitable organisations. He also found help from humanitarian groups,non-governmental organisations, embassies and donors to support the cost ofmaking artificial limbs for disabled people.
He returned Hanoi after 10 years of working atthe invalid care centre and established a workshop at his house to produceartificial limbs for disabilities.
Nguyen Dinh Nguyen, one of Do’s patients from Hanoi’sLong Bien district, said that he was presented with a pair of artificial legsby Dr Do after suffering from a railway accident.
“The accident has robbed me of my legs and itwas a big shock in my life. But now my psychology has stabilised and I believein life more after a friend introduced me to Dr Do and he made me a pair ofprosthetic legs for free,” Nguyen told the Quan Doi Nhan Dan (People’sArmy) newspaper.
This is just one of more than 600 cases that DrDo has helped with over the years. Most of them are children and disadvantagedpeople.
He said that the process of making a prostheticleg takes a lot of time, from mixing plaster and pouring molds in order to fiteach person and help them live more comfortably and easily.
In addition to examining patients and supportingthem in obtaining prosthetic legs, he also encourages and advises patients topractise in order to regain the ability to walk.
Over 13 years into his retirement, Do is busierwith charity. The children with paralysis and cerebral palsy at therehabilitation centre have also often received health check-ups and artificiallimbs for free from him.
With nearly 50 years of experience in orthopedictreatment, he is still learning more advanced techniques to apply to hisworkshop in order to help people with disabilities have a better life.
The greatest joy of old age is simply being ableto help more people with disabilities, Do said.-VNS/VNA
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