To: Prof. Kenneth Herrmann, Director
    SUNY Brockport Vietnam Program

I am writing this letter in response to the appeal you made in the Thanh Nien Newspaper on May 24, 2004.

My name is Ho Van Xanh. I was born in 1936 in Phuoc Son, Hiep Duc, Quang Nam. I am from an ethnic minority group. During the war between the US and Vietnam, I saw the US helicopters dumping Agent Orange onto my home town. Right after that all of the plants and vegetables were killed. I am an ethnic minority group so I spent all of my life in the mountainous area. I ate vegetables and drank water from this area.

I have had arthritis since 1975. It is getting worse over time.

My granddaughter was born in 2002. When she was born she had little black moles on her skin. Over time, these black spots have gotten much bigger. They cover the right side of her body, are on her face, legs and arms, and are still spreading. On these black areas she is also growing fur similar to an animal.

Thank you.

Ho Van Xanh

trans. Nguyen Thi My Hoa