Dr. Ninh Cong Vi at Phuong Dong General Hospital shared a moving story of a 32-year-old husband diagnosed with Stage III stomach cancer, who pleaded with his wife to let him pass away to preserve their savings for their children. As the primary breadwinner, he worked tirelessly to increase family income and endured stomach pain for many years without seeking medical attention. Biopsy results revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet ring cell components, a type of cancer with a poor prognosis that requires complex and expensive treatment regimens exceeding the family's financial capacity. The cost of cancer treatment using targeted or immunotherapy can range from hundreds of millions to several billion VND per year, forcing many patients in Vietnam—only about 10% of whom can access such treatments—to face immense financial pressure and the choice to give up. This story reflects the reality for many cancer patients in Vietnam, particularly those with gastrointestinal cancers, who are diagnosed late due to modern lifestyles and a lack of screening, leading to high mortality rates.