Located in Binh Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, a small Pho restaurant called "Phở Chào" (Pho Hello) draws you in with delicious Nam Dinh style Pho noodles. It also serves many Vietnamese dishes like fried rice and mixed noodles, along with a rather special Western noodle soup called "Pho tine". This is a dish that combines crispy french fries, beef noodle soup, and cheese.

Customer shared their positive feedbacks online. Photo: Instagram/Verbalicious

Recently more and more expats are coming to Phở Chào, making Mama Dung - the restaurant owner - very happy.

What attracted customers to this place is not only the dishes but the touching stories of how Dung survived her terminal illness and established a business that checks on the well-being of cancer survivors.

Photo: Pho Chao

Phở Chào quickly went viral online after foreign friends of Dung's daughter started sharing about this special restaurant. Since then, people from near and far have made Phở Chào their favorite dining spot. It is no surprise since this incredible woman with a heart of gold is also a talented chef.

A spoonful of mother's love

Each time she was hospitalized, Dung showed selflessness to help others while she was also in physical pain. Photo: Pho Chao

While Dung was going through chemotherapy for breast cancer 6 years ago, she witnessed countless patients suffering from cancer. This prompted her to shift her business to doing good deeds for the well-being of cancer survivors.

With her health condition, there was a time Dung and her husband had to temporarily close the store. Despite her situation, she continued to be a source of hope to cancer patients.

Each time she was hospitalized, she showed selflessness to help others while she was also in physical pain. Seeing that the patients were having difficulty in eating and drinking, Dung and her husband cooked chicken and mushroom porridge and distributed them to the patients.

“In 2016, I had my surgery and went through 8 chemotherapy prescriptions and 25 radiation treatments. At the hospital, there is a person I could not forget. She is a patient in the same room with me who really liked my porridge. One day she was still there, eating porridge, the next day, she was gone. It all happened so fast. I was in shock and that was what motivates me to continue cooking for people. When they do not have much time left, I wish to grant their final wishes to enjoy delicious meals," said Dung.

New life, new noble purpose

Photo: Thanh Nien Online

Dung shared that Phở Chào sells 70-100 bowls of pho per day and 70% of customers are foreigners.

A British customer named Mike Scott (British) and his American girlfriend are regular customers. He shared that his girlfriend was someone who did not like to eat pho, but she loved this restaurant. They come here about twice a week and order home delivery a few more times. The couple gives high compliments to Phở Chào and Mama Dung, adding that she is very friendly and enthusiastic and the food is excellent. Mike also appreciates the good deeds Dung is doing and being her customer is his way of contributing to helping people.

Nguyen Thi Thu Trang (45 years old) was a breast cancer survivor and a bakery owner in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. She confided how Dung helped her through her darkest time: “From someone who never knew about cakes, now I am making a living with a job I love. It is all thanks to Ms. Dung's enthusiasm and thoughtfulness. She taught me many kinds of cakes, helped me practice over and over again.

Vo Pham Minh Tam (33 years old, living in Cai Lay Town, Tien Giang), also a cancer survivor, has also been supported by Dung as he could not afford his treatment: "Dung gave me money for surgery, and then gave me more every time I went to chemotherapy. She helped me not once but many times. She cares a lot about other cancer survivors and I could not thank her enough for that."

Photo: Thanh Nien Online

What about you? Have you tried Phở Chào?

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