Truc Ninh, Nam Dinh, May 31, 2004

Dear Professor Kenneth Herrmann,

I would like to tell you the story about my family. My father came from a poor family. He joined the Liberation Army in November 1969 and became a tank driver. He traveled across Southern Vietnam. He came back home in September 1975, rejoined the army in September 1987, and came back home shortly after that. He then married my mother. A year after my parents were married, my sister, Nguyen Thi Xuan, was born. When she was 5 days old, she began to have seizures. My parents sent her to many hospitals in the area but it did not help. She was paralyzed. My mother had to stop working to provide care to my sister.

Two years later I was born. The same symptoms occurred; half of my body was paralyzed. Life became more difficult.

When my father was 46 years old, he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away shortly after that. All the family's belongings were sold for his medication and treatment.

My mother became a single mother with two disabled children when she was 38 years old. It has been 23 years. My mother has heart disease but she has to work very hard for us.

I am luckier than my sister is. I am a tailor. Nevertheless, I still find it hard to integrate into the community. People seem to ignore me and make fun of my disability.

I have attached a picture of my sister. I wish you good health.

Thanks.

Nguyen Thi Vien

trans. Nguyen Thi My Hoa