Int’l school in Ho Chi Minh City raises nearly $6,800 for children with cancer

The Thuy’s Dream Coffee Morning 2026 event at BIS HCMC’s Early Years & Infant campus attracted many students, parents, and staff members from all three school campuses.

This is one of BIS HCMC’s biennial community service initiatives, jointly organized by the school’s parent association and the BIS Community Service Team.

The funds raised will provide financial support, essential resources, and assistance to families of children battling cancer, while continuing to spread the positive spirit and compassionate legacy left behind by Le Thanh Thuy.

During the event, in addition to performances by elementary and middle students, as well as sharing sessions from the parents and speakers, the school encouraged parents to contribute baked goods and savory items for fundraising sales and to donate gifts for the fundraising auction.

The school also prepared upcycled handmade items, created by the Parent Upcycling Team using repurposed school uniforms, to support the fundraising efforts.

In addition, the Community and Enrichment Prefects, together with the Primary Community Ambassadors, sold cakes and souvenirs to encourage student participation and support for the program.

Students across all campuses were also encouraged to wear yellow on Wednesday, a color symbolizing the resilience and hope associated with the courageous 'warrior' Le Thanh Thuy.

Tracey Brownrigg, community manager at BIS HCMC, shared that the school was honored to have the opportunity to support children and families fighting cancer in Ho Chi Minh City.

She explained that although each contribution might seem small, the initiative helped ease some of the financial pressures many families face throughout their difficult treatment journey.

“The British International School Ho Chi Minh City deeply values its strong partnership with the Thuy’s Dream Foundation. We hope to continue supporting and contributing to meaningful initiatives like this in the future,” Brownrigg added.

Accompanying children with cancer

Over more than 18 years of operation, the Thuy’s Dream Foundation has received, connected, and distributed over VND56 billion ($2.1 million) to more than 57,700 children with cancer.

Moved by the story of the courageous Le Thanh Thuy and the meaningful legacy she left behind, parents, staff, and students of BIS HCMC have joined together since 2014 to raise funds and support the Thuy’s Dream Foundation.

In 2024, the school cooperated with Tuoi Tre to organize meaningful activities for pediatric cancer patients at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, including Christmas gift-giving, games, and activities aimed at uplifting the children’s spirits.

In 2025, the school donated more than VND350 million ($13,290) to the Thuy’s Dream Foundation.

The Thuy’s Dream Foundation was set up by Tuoi Tre to support children with cancer as well as to honor Le Thanh Thuy, a high school girl famous for her long fight against bone cancer before passing away on November 2, 2007.