Support Nguyen Qui Duc's cancer battle

Our beloved brother, uncle, and friend, Nguyen Qui Duc, has a very aggressive form of cancer, and needs all the help and support we can give him. As some of you may already know, Duc was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer that has metastasized with tumors developing in his abdomen and brain. He has been fighting like a champ since receiving the diagnosis a few months back and was making real progress as an outpatient using Tagrisso - a drug which targets the cancer cells - until he had to temporarily abandon treatment, and check into Vinmec (Hanoi) hospital, due to a collapsed bile duct and a blockage in his colon. Duc has been in the hospital for the past month dealing with the complications from these issues. He had emergency exploratory surgery in mid-October to fix the bile duct issue. Since then, he has been recovering well and has been moved from the ICU back to the Oncology ward where he welcomes a large cohort of visitors everyday. Despite the many setbacks he's endured, his doctors remain optimistic that if he can get back on the Tagrisso regimen soon there is a real chance to shrink the tumors further and begin a recovery process.

It goes without saying that treating cancer, even in Vietnam, can have a devastating effect on one's finances. Expenses to date have been covered and their businesses remain solvent, but now that Duc and Phuong are fully focused on his recovery, additional medical bills, business bills, and everyday living expenses will keep piling up day by day. All medical bills must be paid in advance at the hospital in Vietnam, and while Duc has insurance, there is reason to doubt that the insurance company will honor his medical claims in full, and/or refuse to extend his coverage beyond 2023. In summary, like so many of us are unfortunately aware, a serious medical emergency can have disastrous financial implications and up-end our lives. So in addition to providing you all with an update on our beloved Duc, we are also launching a fundraising campaign to both address these immediate pending costs as well as provide a meaningful contribution toward what will be ongoing treatment expenses that could conservatively reach in excess of USD$6000/month.

A writer, poet, pioneering journalist, advocate for refugee communities, award winning documentary filmmaker, political activist, polyglot, bon vivant - Duc is truly one of a kind. Perhaps most important of all, he has left an indelible impression on so many of us as a kind and wise friend. He brings likeminded people together, and many lifelong friendships have been forged thanks to being a part of the community he creates wherever he goes. Duc has dedicated his life to giving to others, to supporting artists and those who are finding their voice, and now is our chance to do something meaningful for him.

Duc is in the hospital at this time, more than 4 weeks now, and getting ready for what looks like a long effort with immunotherapy and rehabilitation. He needs every last bit of help we can send him and his partner Phuong, who is by his bedside everyday. We’ve started this GoFundMe as a way of supporting a very long-time gift of a friend. Please donate anything you can, and please leave a message of support. All the monies donated here will be transferred by Dieu Ha (Duc's sister living in San Francisco) from this account to Vietnam as required for his ongoing care.

PLEASE NOTE: In the coming days we will also be launching a SEPARATE FUNDRAISER for Duc's friends in Vietnam, who may be unable to send funds through this US based GoFundMe page.

Thank you all so much.

Benjamin Reich - on behalf of Nguyễn Diệu Hà (Duc's sister)