Young Vietnamese author chronicles Himalayan journey after cancer surgery

In late 2024, Kim embarked on what would become the defining journey of her youth.

Earlier this year, her feat of reaching Kala Patthar at an altitude of 5,500 meters in the Himalayas during one of the region’s harshest winters captured public attention for its sheer determination and youthful ambition.

Few, however, knew that she had only recently undergone surgery for a proliferative tumor.

During the launch of the 500-page book, she shared her story through documentary footage and candid conversation.

Kim revealed that after her operation, she endured intense pain but refused painkillers or any other medication.

Instead, she chose to rely solely on a breathing technique she created for her own healing, which she later named Haama Breath.

Despite having no background in mountaineering or athletic training, she successfully completed the winter trek.

At the summit of Kala Patthar, in winds that drove temperatures down to minus 25 degrees Celsius, she remained seated for 60 minutes wearing only light clothing, practicing Haama Breath.

Her aim was to demonstrate what she believed to be the body’s capacity for resilience under extreme physical and mental stress.

Her companion on the expedition, Van Trang, who suffers from severe bone and joint issues, also managed to complete the journey using the same method.

Upon returning home, Kim began writing 'Haama Breath – Dieu ky dieu tu Himalaya' (The Miracle from the Himalayas), shaping it into a chronicle of personal transformation rooted in her life experiences and unconventional choices.

The book has been released by Science, Technology and Communications Publishing House.

Serious work oriented toward inner balance

The book is divided into three parts, with the first serving as a memoir, tracing her privileged upbringing and her attempts to ‘overcome comfort.’

She recounts running away from home, rejecting the family path of traditional medicine, pursuing business success, and then losing everything in a fire.

She starts to embrace the impermanence of life, shifting her focus from personal ambition to community service through environmental and public-health initiatives.

During this period of service, she receives her cancer diagnosis and undergoes immediate surgery.

She then seeks her own path to recovery through the development of Haama Breath, eventually using it to support others free of charge.

The second part examines global environmental conditions and the health consequences of climate change, pollution, and modern social pressures.

The third presents Haama Breath as a simple, cost-free practice intended to be accessible to anyone and easy to implement in community settings.

Kim frames the method as a contribution offered in the spirit of service and sustainability.

Readers have expressed surprise at the book’s polished prose, clarity of thought, and the breadth of knowledge displayed by a first-time author born in the 1990s.