Wife of ALS-stricken China e-commerce tycoon refuses divorce despite request
Raised in Beijing, Duan was rebellious and independent from a young age, later meeting Cai through matchmaking in 2018
China’s most renowned amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patient, Cai Lei, has been battling the illness for seven years following his diagnosis. His wife, Duan Rui, has supported him in her own way, also becoming a pillar for other families affected by ALS.
After the former vice-president of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com received his ALS diagnosis in 2019, Cai, now 48, emerged as one of the world’s most determined advocates against the disease, investing over 100 million yuan (US$15 million) in developing new treatments and assisting fellow patients.
In 2022, Duan left her promising partner position at an accounting firm to co-found the “Breaking the Ice Station” live-stream channel with Cai.
Now, 37-year-old Duan hosts live-stream sessions five days a week, sharing valuable information about the rare disease while engaging in e-commerce. While Cai dedicates his remaining time to combating one of the world’s most challenging medical conditions, Duan notes that her platform is generating income to “free scientific research from the pressures of survival.”
Raised in a Beijing family, Duan was independent and rebellious from a young age.
When a secondary school teacher suggested she pursue liberal arts at Peking University, Duan insisted on studying science, driven by her ambition to make world-changing scientific contributions.
Duan enrolled at Peking University, directing her efforts towards anti-cancer research at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.