Scar of Life 3: Heart of Glass press conference is a special event, not only because it brings together the top VIPs in entertainment, business, fashion, but also reveals the amazing tale of a mother’s love and determination, who has been struggling to bring life to her beloved kid. Her story is the inspiration for the film “The Journey”, directed by Cuong Ngo (he’s also the director of “Pearls of the Far East”), with the casting of renowned actresses Ngo Thanh Van and Lan Ngoc.

Their journey against the boy’s congenital heart defects started 20 years ago, since Dinh Thi Thanh, a poor woman from the rural of Middle of Vietnam, found a tiny tired and pale new born kid lying in a coffin in Quang Binh forest. The woman was said not to adopt the kid as she was poor enough. Yet, she brought the boy home: “Looking the baby in ashen, I carried him home without thinking.” Besides Vy, she had 6 other kids, all were very young and none of them is her flesh and blood kid.

The boy named Cao Hung Vy (which means “giant boy”) grows up in the love and protection of his mother, despite the heart defects he carries on. Vy simply does not have blood flow to one side of his heart, therefore, his blood could not carry oxygen to his body. Ms. Robin K. Austin, VinaCapital Foundation, recalled the moment she met Vy the first time: “I sat down beside him and took his hands. His fingers were black all the way to the second knuckle, his toes are the same… I knew he was in deep trouble.”

In order to come to Heartbeat Vietnam, Vy’s mother and him have had a long and tough journey. Started from Gia Lai, they went to Saigon with the hope to cure his defected heart. Their journey has touched many hearts, among those is Cuong Ngo’s, who is a York University’s Film Department graduate in Canada. Cuong Ngo’s debut feature film “Pearls of the Far East” received world premiere at Reel Asian Filmfest and won prestigious awards international. “When Van and I heard their story and what they have been through, we felt touching and started to cry”, he said. Cuong decided to tell the tale in a cinematic way by doing the short film “The Journey”. The movie is about the deep and enduring love between two sisters, the younger suffering from a congenital heart disease and the older sister (performed by Ngo Thanh Van) trying to do all that she can to save her sister from death.

At the press conference, Van shared: “We all have our own journeys, it could be a journey to reach a mountaintop or to conquer a job. It might also be a journey to find our true love. However, there are not many of us who face up to the journey to bring life back. I would do anything I could to help these children, even if knocking every doors in Vietnam. I hope that one day, there will be no children pass away because of congenital heart defects.”

After two years, Scar of Life project has saved 460 kids. Now coming back for its 3^rd year with the theme “Scar of Life 3: Heart of Glass”, we wish nothing more but to save at least 100 Vietnamese children who are waiting to have heart operations. The film premier will be released on the gala event on May 25^th and later, on screen nationwide. In addition, there will be a DMC fashion show performed by top Vietnam’s celebrities and models. Fashion designers Do Manh Cuong will contribute his collection “Heart of Glass”, which is made uniquely for the Scar of Life event, to the fundraising auction of special items, including the DMC collection and mementos of from the movie set.

It’s a miracle for these children to stop waiting and receive life saving heart surgeries. And it is our sacred quest to make this miracle comes true! However, we would not be able to do this without helping hands from our community. Let’s join us in this unique event that will forever change lives of hundreds of children!