Help Tram see her mother for the last time!

Hi, my name is Tram. I am fundraising for my trip to Vietnam and back to the U.S to continue my study. Just a few days ago, my brother informed me that my mother had been diagnosed with cancer. She is in her last stage, and cancer has already spread to her brain, liver, and bones. The doctor has sent her home and told my family to prepare "emotionally." I have not seen my mom for 2 years due to Covid, so I tried to get a ticket as soon as possible; however, the financial burden is heavier than I can handle. Due to Covid, the one-way ticket to Vietnam is costly. I also have to be quarantined, and I need to pay for my own quarantine room. The overall cost for the one-way trip back to Vietnam sums up to $5000, including flight ticket and quarantine fee.

I am an international student in the U.S. I am pursuing my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. As an international student, I am not allowed to legally work more than 20 hours on campus. I cannot work for any other job off-campus. Thus, my only line of income depends on the stipends the school provides me. Since I just started my doctoral program 2 months ago, I had to spend a lot of money settling down in a whole new city, paying for insurance and parts of my tuition. I have not been able to save up any money, and I have been living off paycheck to paycheck. My mother is the only financial source that I can depend on, but since Covid, her business has closed for almost 2 years. She is also financially strained. I cannot ask for money from my family.

Additionally, my mother also took out a $50000 loan from the bank for me to complete my Master's Degree. In the past, when her business was still running, my family was capable to slowly pay off that loan with interest. However, we did not anticipate a pandemic to happen. Now, I am facing the risk of not being able to pay off the loan with the $11000 income that I got from my stipend. While I am working as a TA, a researcher, a therapist in training, and a student, that is the only amount of money I can make.

Thus, I am fundraising for my trips to Vietnam and back to the U.S. Thank you very much for all of your generosity and contribution.