When Le Quynh Nga left for Korea in August she had high hopes, despite leaving her husband and two young children behind.

A lecturer of history at the National University of Vietnam, Le had been given a grant by the SK Foundation to study for a year at Inha University in Incheon, but just months into her stay her husband fell seriously ill.

Thieu Van Ly found he had acute lymphoid leukemia in November, and treatment options in Vietnam were limited.

“I can sell my house for my husband to get treatment in Vietnam,” said Le. “But now in Vietnam they said that they can’t treat my husband with the technology they have, so he can only get treatment from drugs. He can live (like that) for maybe 2-5 years.”

A stem cell treatment is available in Korea, but funding is a problem.

Le contacted Professor Kim Chul-soo, director of Inha University School of Medicine and Hospital’s comprehensive cancer center. Kim’s successful treatment of a Vietnamese boy in 2004 was the first blood stem cell treatment of a foreign national in Korea.

Kim said that the necessary operation was quite risky, but gave a 50 percent chance of leaving the patient disease free for good, depending on the patient’s condition.

Le has a reasonable stipend for her stay in Korea but it is not nearly enough to cover the $50,000 cost of treatment. With help from friends and by selling her house she said she could raise about half the amount needed.

It may be possible to get some support from the National Health Insurance Corp. but this is dependent on length of stay in Korea, and would likely be retrospective.

Le plans to bring her husband to Korea this month to qualify, making the need for funds more urgent. She also plans to bring her brother in-law, who is a donor match for her husband.

She conceded she will have financial concerns even if she finds the funds for the operation, as her husband is out of work and she says her salary is not enough to cover the cost of living for them, her retired parents and her children, aged 2 and 8.

“Now we live in Hanoi, it’s very expensive. We have a small apartment,” she said. “My children are so small, and my earnings are not enough for my life. Maybe I will lose my husband ... lose my whole life.”

With Kim’s help, she is looking to government and charity assistance funds for the remaining support.

Those wishing to help directly can contact Le through lequynhnga99@gmail.com or transfer money to Woori Bank 1002-047-168398, account holder Le Thi Quynh Nga.

By Paul Kerry (paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)