Italian surgeons’ book inspired by Miracle Boy Thien Nhan
An autobiography has been co-published by two Italians, recalling their humane and professional journey as voluntary surgeons, and telling an inspiring story on how they met Vietnamese boy Thien Nhan who was abandoned in a deserted plantation for three days after birth.
Cover of the book “Il bimbo e le belve” (The child and the beasts) written by Roberto De Castro and William Amighetti. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – An autobiography has beenco-published by two Italians, recalling their humane and professional journeyas voluntary surgeons, and telling an inspiring story on how they metVietnamese boy Thien Nhan who was abandoned in a deserted plantation for threedays after birth.
The book entitled “Il bimbo e le belve” (The child andthe beasts) was written by Roberto De Castro and William Amighetti to look backon their years of humanitarian mission across Italy, the United Kingdom, theUnited States, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Syria and Vietnam.
Doctor De Castro has performed pioneering surgicaltechniques for effective treatment of malformations and genital mutilation ofboys and girls in these countries to allow them to live and lead a full life.He has also trained local medical workers on these techniques.
Surgeon Roberto De Castro. (Photo: VNA)
William Amighetti. (Photo: VNA)
Doctor Amighetti, meanwhile, has brought artificial limbsto Vietnamese children with disabilities.
“The book tells stories about Roberto De Castro takinghumanitarian journey over 15 years in Vietnam,” Amighetti told Vietnam NewsAgency correspondents in Italy. “It is also my journey during the years ofhelping unfortunate children disabled by birth defects or accidents in Vietnamand all over the world.”
One of De Castro’s success stories is “Miracle Boy” PhungThien Nhan, who was abandoned by his biological mother at birth in the centralprovince of Quang Nam. When Nhan was found three days later, he was barelyalive and suffered a total loss of genitals and one leg due to a brutal attackby wild animals.
"Miracle boy" Thien Nhan is now 15 years old.
The baby infant resiliently survived the incident and wassubsequently adopted by Tran Mai Anh, coming to live happily with his newfamily in Hanoi. With the support of the Italian surgeon, Thien Nhan received asuccessful reconstructive surgery in January 2011.
Nhan’s story is an inspiration for the two surgeons topen the autobiography.
His foster mother Mai Anh later became the founder of theThien Nhan and Friends programme, and together with Greig Craft, president ofthe Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, the programme raises funds for surgeriesfor poor Vietnamese children suffering from genital defects or loss of genitalsand related diseases./.
A group of Italian experts will offer free operations to regenerate genitals for nine child patients and give free checkups to 20 others with genital problems at the Da Nang maternity and children’s hospital in central city of Da Nang.
Doctors from the US and Italy have provided free genital regeneration operations for 230 Vietnamese children, and given free consultation and check-ups to 800 other patients since August 2011 under a programme entitled “Thien Nhan and Friends”
23-year-old Nguyen Huong Lien is working her way through university to become an English language teacher, her career choice, with the help and support of her adoptive parents.
Eighty-four Vietnamese children with severe urological birth defects and rare urological conditions in HCM City, Da Nang and Hanoi are receiving free genital surgeries this month under the Thien Nhan & Friends - Child Genital Reconstruction Surgery Vietnam programme.
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Cover of the book “Il bimbo e le belve” (The child and the beasts) written by Roberto De Castro and William Amighetti. (Photo: VNA)
Surgeon Roberto De Castro. (Photo: VNA)
William Amighetti. (Photo: VNA)
"Miracle boy" Thien Nhan is now 15 years old. 
