MA. Mai Quyet Thang – A decade of making moon cakes for children with kidney failure

On September 30, 2025, moon cakes prepared with a special, customized recipe were delivered to children suffering from kidney failure at Children’s Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City. Having manually made and donated these moon cakes for over a decade, MA. Mai Quyet Thang, Director of Public Relations Program at Hoa Sen University, deeply understands the vital need for community companionship and support for children battling this disease.

Motivational Support for Sick Children

One afternoon in late September 2025, the kitchen of Ms. Mai Quyet Thang came alive with the cheerful energy of lecturers, staff, and students from Hoa Sen University (HSU) as they gathered to make mooncakes. The work was shared seamlessly, one kneading the dough, another preparing the filling, and others shaping each cake. This scene of concentrated teamwork was often interrupted by spontaneous laughter whenever a small mistake resulted in a comically “ruined” cake.

“The mission for today is 300 moon cakes. We are pushing to complete the batch on time for the children receiving dialysis gifts”, he noted.

According to Quyet Thang, kidney failure patients could not eat moon cakes because they contained a lot of sugar, salt, and preservatives. The diet for kidney failure is even more strict and must be strictly followed according to the doctor’s advice. Even some fruits children can not eat.

Special moon cake recipe

The moon cake ingredients must be completely natural and free from preservatives, chemicals, artificial flavorings, baking soda, and eggs.

“The cakes’ sweetness is reduced to a minimum, measuring only about 40% of regular moon cakes. This crucial sugar reduction is necessary because many kidney failure patients, both children and adults, also manage diabetes, and excessive sugar intake can further compromise kidney health”, he emphasized.

The Culinary Joy of Moon Cakes

Receiving the lovely moon cakes on the morning of September 30, 2025, many children expressed their joy and smiled happily because it had been a long time since they had eaten delicious cakes.

Ms. Huynh Ngoc Th. (16 years old, from Dak Lak province) expressed: “Receiving this moon cake made me very happy. I have been in Ho Chi Minh City for two years, dealing with end-stage dialysis, which sadly forced me to leave school in the 8th grade. My only wish is to go home for the Mid-Autumn Festival this year. I also pray that everyone who gave us these cakes keeps their health and happiness”.

According to many parents, even with health insurance, the monthly treatment cost for their children remains between VN$5 and 6 million. Because they must spend all their time caring for their children, they are unable to work to earn a living. Therefore, mooncake-giving activities like this not only bring joy but also help the community understand, support, and share with the families of sick children.

Community Awareness Enhancement

For the past three years, in addition to giving gifts and cakes, Quyet Thang has also expanded experiential activities for children with kidney failure. “Unlike other illnesses, children on dialysis have almost no community and often live in isolation. Some receive dialysis three to four times a week, each session lasting around four hours. This leaves them with little to no time for school or social life”, he shared with concern.

The group brought joy to the children through outings to the water park, the beach, and the zoo. Their most recent trip to Ho Tram Beach, hosted by the HSU’s public relations students, was especially memorable.

After a brief silence, MA. Mai Quyet Thang spoke quietly: “What weighs on my heart is that the trip to Ho Tram Beach was delayed by two weeks.  During that time, one of the children passed away. If only the trip had taken place earlier, he could have felt the sea breeze and played at the beach once more”.

In his eyes, the image of children fighting to live despite illness is etched deeply. “Uncle Thang, I’ve been feeling weak these days”, “Uncle Thang, I can’t walk anymore. I have to use a wheelchair”, “Uncle Thang, if you’re going anywhere, please take me with you”. Those innocent whispers reflect a childhood stolen by illness, a pain that words can never fully express.

“Experiential learning” opportunities through sharing activities

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, a fourth-year Marketing student, emphasized:

“Children with kidney failure are truly heartbreaking to witness. They live with pain that never seems to end, constant blood draws, transfusions, and endless treatment costs. Standing there, I realized how tiny my little act of kindness was in the face of their suffering and their families’ silent endurance”.

For her, the project not only fostered shared experiences and a strong sense of community spirit but also provided a vital opportunity to practice teamwork, event organization, and communication skills, essential tools for future careers.

Having accompanied children with kidney failure for over a decade, Quyet Thang’s greatest hope is to secure broader community cooperation, aiming to reshape the awareness and outlook on life of young people.

He consistently strives to convey these humane messages and aspirations to his students. Consequently, these volunteer activities have become real-life projects for the students, teaching them the profound meaning of sharing and equipping them with crucial skills in managing and organizing charitable initiatives for the community. 

MA. Mai Quyet Thang stated that the number of children requiring lifelong dialysis was increasing. Furthermore, each child on dialysis needed at least one parent accompanying them for care, so this situation drove the family’s already difficult economic status into further impoverishment.

“With cancer, one must submit. To truly protect our health, we must fundamentally transform our lifestyle. This means living healthily, eating scientifically, and consistently increasing exercise”, he claimed.