Donations and sympathy poured in for a 13-year-old boy diagnosed in the late stage of brain cancer after he entered a televised singing contest in the hope of writing off the large debt his mother incurred treating his illness.
Donations for Jetsada “Nong Big’’ Yen-anong totalled more than 7.5 million baht by Tuesday evening. Donors paid the money into an account opened on his behalf by Workpoint at Kasikorn bank.
Workpoint Channel’s "Mic Mod Nee" (microphone paying off debts) singing contest posted a message on its Facebook account say no more donations were being accepted.
“Deepest thanks for Thai people's generosity for Nong Big and his family. Donations are enough and we would like to stop receiving donations from now. Nong Big and his family convey their heartfelt thanks to all of you,’’ the message said..
The plight of the 13-year-old boy from northeastern Chaiyaphum province's Nong Bua Rawe district tugged at viewers' heartstrings when the boy told programme host Somkiart “Sena Ling’’ Chanprame why he applied to take part in the show, during a live interview on Monday night.
Nong Big said he wanted to do something to help his mother Buaphan Chaisorn, 36, and his 15-year-old sister escape the burden of a 95,000 baht debt.
Mrs Buaphan had borrowed the money from a village fund to grow vegetables to feed the family of three and to cover her son's medical bills.
After a 3 centimetre tumour was discovered on his brain stem, he underwent surgery and chemotherapy, but his condition has not improved.
The boy has collapsed twice this year, each time he stopped breathing and was revived.
He watched the Mic Mod Nee programme and asked his mother to apply on his behalf to appear on the show. He told her he had nothing to lose by entering the contest. If he did not succeed, he would still get 5,000 baht in travel costs from the host to return home.
His application form was submitted a few months ago, and he was finally called to sing a song on the show on Monday night.
Host Sena Ling, the three judges and many members of the audience burst into tears on hearing Nong Big's story. When he sang, many cried again. Donations poured in after the show and throughout Tuesday.
Jetsada and his mother on Wednesday expressed their gratitude to everybody and the television programme for helping them.
Nong Big said he was overwhelmed, his heart touched by the generous donations and the encouragement he received. He said he would continue to fight against his illness.
Donations for 13-year-old Nong Big top 7.5 million baht and the host of Workpoint Entertainment Channel's Mic Mod Nee singing programme announces on Tuesday night no more will be accepted. (Photo taken from @MicModNee Facebook page)