LFHC's Medical Director is Accepted to Study Hemato-Oncology in Thailand

Dr. Dorkeo Buapao, the medical director at Lao Friends Hospital for Children, was recently accepted to begin her three-year fellowship in hemato-oncology (a specialty in diagnosing and treating blood cancers.　

Over the last nine years, LFHC has become a leader in providing some of the best pediatric healthcare across multiple specialties in all of Laos.　

However, one area where LFHC is currently unable to support its patients is those diagnosed with blood cancer. Over the last five years, LFHC has diagnosed 90 children with various forms of blood cancer. Following national protocol, these children are referred to the National Children’s Hospital in Vientiane for further treatment. However, the team at LFHC found that 90% of families did not travel to Vientiane, and of the 10% who did, only 2% completed their treatment. This is due to the families being unable to afford the expensive treatment and hospital care provided; many cannot even afford the cost of travel to Vientiane. These children often return for support and palliative care treatment at LFHC.

Dr. Dorkeo’s three-year fellowship is part of a broader project to support LFHC, which aims to begin providing specific kinds of treatment for children with blood cancer, namely leukemia and lymphoma, by 2029. The prognosis for children with leukemia and lymphoma, if treated correctly, is very good. The five-year survival for many types of pediatric leukemia are 93% or greater.

Children who truly had no hope and nowhere to go will soon be receiving life-saving treatment at Lao Friends Hospital for Children.