Support for Hung Do in his final fight with cancer
In life, there are only so many tomorrows. It pains us to say that, for our beloved Hung, the days are now truly numbered. The recent discovery of glioma cancer wrapped around his optic nerve was deemed too large, spread too far through his brain and too malignant that he was ruled ineligible for treatment. As such, we’ve brought him home and created this page to share his story as a form of his last breath so that friends and family near and far could remember him, share your experiences, leave comments, say prayers, make small contributions and receive updates on his final plight.
Hung Do (center) has fought cancer most of his life. At the age of 9, he was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer. His surgery was ill-fated due to an allergic reaction to anesthesia, and he had to undergo aggressive radiation which caused his thyroid gland to shut down. This completely stunted his growth and lead to the man with a diminutive 4'8" stature that we have come to know and love. After radiation, his family picked up and moved from Louisiana to Minnesota in search of better treatment and care for their dear son. Unfortunately, cancer had the best of Hung when it came to his physical health as it severely limited his hearing, vision and ability to eat or swallow. His hair and weight loss was just an external reflection of the many things he undoubtedly lost inside.
Growing up, Hung was often ridiculed and bullied for the way he looked. One by one, he took the blows and remained undeterred. His level of suffering was known mostly to him as he often absorbed it all and buried it inside. Slowly and methodically, he fought back, just like how he did most things like filling prescriptions or eating his meals. Hung became increasingly determined to take care of himself and deal with whatever adversity that life continued to bring. He worked hard and was self-sufficient. Yet, he always found the time to help others and make people smile. He devoted much of his time to mentoring the youth and loved being around children and the church. Cancer, as it turned out, had won over his body but not his mind or spirit.
We love Hung and always will. He has had a challenging 45 years on earth, but he has also been around incredible family and friends who are understanding and supportive. From his coworkers to fellow members in the church to his friends, family and extended family in VEYM, Hung has been constantly showered with rays of sunshine and hope. This hope, love and his faith is what buoys him til this day. It has also allowed him to be a beam of light for others and a lasting inspiration for many like us. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers, wherever that he may be. We invite you to share any thoughts or comments you may have, and we thank you from the depth of our hearts. From Hung to you, much peace and love, always!
Update: Thank you so much for all your donations! We wanted to share his story and allow friends and family members from afar who have asked to make contributions through this platform, but your generosity has been overwhelming! We’ll make sure to find a way of carrying on his legacy - hope, kindness, volunteerism and helping others - through the support that you have given!