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Without any income and a loan of US$22,000 to repay, the family survives with help from friends and relatives even as new medical bills loom. Photo: SCMP composite/Handout

Heartbroken parents in China fight to save 3-year-old son from ‘king of childhood cancer’ and say ‘can’t bear to give up’, inspiring millions

  • A couple in China are being hailed online for their fight to save their three-year-old son from a type of childhood cancer
  • Commonly called the ‘king of childhood cancer’, symptoms can include fever, vomiting, bone damage and breathing problems

A family in central China have trended on mainland social media for their ongoing fight to save their three-year-old son’s life from a type of childhood cancer and efforts to find a way to pay for the mounting costs of his treatment.

The boy, nicknamed Xiaorui, from Hengyang in Hunan province, was diagnosed in April last year with a form of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. Commonly called the “king of childhood cancer”, its symptoms can include recurrent fever, vomiting, bone damage and breathing problems and can often be fatal if not caught early on.

The boy’s 32-year-old father, nicknamed Xiaobing, has vowed not to give up on his son despite struggling to find the money to keep paying for his cancer treatment and surgeries, The Moment News reported.

After Xiaorui was diagnosed, his father quit his job as a plumber so he could be at the hospital with his son during his regular tests and treatments.

Xiaobing, his wife and their five-year-old daughter have also moved into a tiny rented room close to the hospital treating Xiaorui. However, despite the family’s commitment to fighting the cancer, with savings of just 80,000 yuan (US$11,800), they face an uphill battle covering his rising medical bills.

At one stage, Xiaorui was so sick he weighed just 6kg and urgently needed a stem cell transplant to save his life. Photo: Handout

Without any income and a loan of 150,000 yuan yet to be repaid, the family are now surviving on help from friends and family. Xiaobing said previously he had no idea how he would pay for future surgeries and treatments he was told would cost a further 200,000 yuan (US$30,000).

The treatments also take a toll on the boy. Xiaorui’s first chemotherapy session left him so weak he had to receive a nutrient solution just to keep him alive. After he had an operation in June last year, he was still weak and developed two infections.

“All kinds of infections occur very often, and the skin on his body peels off layer by layer,” the father said.

At one point, Xiaorui had become so sick he weighed just 6kg and doctors told the family he urgently needed a stem cell transplant to save his life.

The father said he often felt like giving up when he saw his son’s suffering but had persevered.

“I can’t bear to give up. He is so young,” he said.

The family’s perseverance in the face of their health and financial struggles is seen as an inspiring example of love and familial support by mainland social media. Photo: Handout

Things began to improve financially in October last year when a charity in nearby Henan province began a fundraising campaign for the remaining medical fees. Last Friday, the target of 200,000 yuan was achieved and will now be used to pay for Xiaorui’s stem cell transplant next month.

Many internet users were touched by the family’s plight.

One said: “I can’t bear such a heartbreaking story. Praying for the little boy and his family.”

Another said: “The boy has suffered so much. I hope he recovers soon.”

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