Grateful Hearts: When Vietnam was diagnosed with a brain tumor, his family found hope and support at St. Jude

As Viet spoke about the start of his son’s ongoing health journey, his wife’s gaze moved from his face to a place far off in the distance.

Quynh Anh quietly relived the days in 2016 when their 6-year-old son, Vietnam, was sick and doctors didn’t have answers. After a CT scan revealed a tumor in the pituitary area, Vietnam was diagnosed with craniopharyngioma, a rare benign brain tumor.

It is impossible to revisit those days without tears.

Cat Tien, Vietnam’s second oldest sister, remembers too, days of worry, uncertainty and fear. She was in middle school back then. When she and her sisters visited Vietnam in the hospital, a doctor explained that Vietnam had a brain tumor.

“That was the shocking part for me and my siblings. We didn’t know what that meant,” Cat Tien said. “Our grandfather had cancer, but he was well into his elder years. We’d never seen sickness like this in children, let alone our little brother.”

But everything changed when Vietnam was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.

“He was just 6 years old, in first grade when he was diagnosed. It was so scary. We thought that we’d lost him,” Viet said.

Vietnam was their baby, the youngest of five children and the only boy. They were grateful he was going to St. Jude.

“We were so happy,” Viet said. “I saw everything St. Jude did for children that have brain tumors.”

After arriving, he also learned that St. Jude would not send them a bill. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.

“It was amazing when we came to St. Jude,” Viet said. “It really surprised us. It’s a very special place. Every person in the hospital is very nice. And they have a love for my son, for my family.” Initially, Vietnam was at St. Jude for three months. His treatment included surgery and radiation. Vietnam doesn’t remember a lot from when he was 6.

“My family tells me stories and it’s like ‘That happened?’” he said.

The way he spoke about his illness back then was “outlandish,” his sister said.

“How is a child thinking these words? But he would say things like ‘Oh, this is a journey’ or ‘I’m going on an adventure’,” she said. “Who thinks like that?”

A 2022 check-up at St. Jude showed the formation of a new cyst, which had grown by his 2023 scan.

He had surgeries in March and April and spent a few weeks in the hospital. Now, Vietnam is 16 and back at home in Texas enjoying life as a high school student.

“He’s grown up. Now he’s tall, taller than me,” Viet said with a chuckle. “We’re so happy.”

Cat Tien, 23, remembers how happy the family was when Vietnam was born. “I was obsessed with him. He was so cute,” she said. She’d follow him around with her electronic tablet documenting his every move, even when he got old enough to tell her to stop.

“After he got sick, we were with him all the time,” Cat Tien said.

Vietnam spends his free time playing online video games with friends. In school, his favorite classes are physics and aquatic science.

“I like science. I really like animals, and I think the ocean is really cool,” Vietnam said. “So, it just kind of goes together. And the teacher’s nice.”

His family is grateful to the donors who support the St. Jude mission. “I think our family has endless gratitude for St. Jude. We’re so lucky and fortunate,” Cat Tien said. St. Jude is “1,000%” why Cat Tien is in medical school today. “It shaped every part of my career trajectory,” she said.