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March 8, 2010

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

The kindness of strangers helps paralyzed Harbin girl walk

By Xu Wenwen | March 8, 2010, Monday | Print Edition

SMALL grocery store owner Tang Min doesn't have much but he gives almost everything to a paralyzed girl he doesn't know. Then Hangzhou residents donate. Today the girl can walk. Xu Wenwen reports.

A man who runs a small suburban grocery store and only earns around 2,000 yuan (US$293) has paid more than 20,000 yuan to treat a young college student in Harbin, northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province, a woman he doesn't know.

The man, Tang Min, only knows that Zhou Wei, 21, was recently diagnosed with a spinal epidural hematoma (accumulated blood that can compress the spinal cord), and doctors feared permanent paralysis of both legs, without immediate intervention.

Tang is now paying for her treatment in Hangzhou, along with many other people who heard the story and donated an additional 50,000 yuan.

Doctors think Zhou, who has undergone several surgeries, one to remove some vertebrae, will be able to walk again, with a limp and a cane.

Last November, Tang was honored for his good deed, which continues to this day: He received the "Zhejiang Pride: One of 2009's Most Influential Figures" award.

"Hangzhou is beautiful, West Lake is beautiful," he said at the time. "I cannot fail them, and if I do good deeds, I am totally committed."

Tang, originally from Hangzhou, has lived in the city for more than 20 years. He is far from a rich man: He, his wife and school-age son live in a room just 10 square meters. They run a small grocery store in a suburban market. Monthly income is only 2,000 yuan, but Tang has been saving.

Last January, Tang went to Harbin on business, carrying 10,000 yuan. He caught a cold and went to a hospital.

At the emergency room door, Tang saw a desperate mother crying over a pale young woman stretched out on a bench. The mother said the daughter had a spinal subdural hematoma and might become a paraplegic.

Zhou, a sophomore at Harbin Normal University, comes from a poor farm family in Jiamusi, Heilongjiang Province. She has two siblings. Her father is unable to work because of cerebral trauma suffered when she was a child. Several years ago the family's house burned to the ground.

Two years ago, Zhou was admitted to college without examination, and her tuition was waived because of her excellent academic work and the hard family background.

Now the only child in the family to go to college appeared seriously disabled. She had to give up her studies. A first surgery cost at least 30,000 yuan, but her family only collected 20,000 yuan.

"I'll give you the rest of the money," Tang blurted out in the hospital on meeting family he had never seen before. He gave them the money he had taken along for business and called his wife asking to borrow more, but there wasn't much money the family could get because his business was running at a loss.

The Harbin family was shocked, then the mother kowtowed. Tang turned over his money and his telephone and contact information.

"Call me if there's any problem," he said then.

"I didn't think about anything before I offered to help," says Tang now.

The firs surgery removed three vertebrae; Zhou was out of danger but still paralyzed. More surgery and treatment are needed.

Last spring, Tang went to Harbin to visit Zhou and took 3,000 yuan for treatment. He asked for her X-rays and other records, and took them back to Hangzhou hospitals, asking if they could help the young woman.

Finally, Hangzhou's First People's Hospital agreed to admit Zhou.

Dr Chen Lina, director of rehabilitation department, assured Tang that the condition could be treated and though it would be costly, the patient would probably be able to walk with a limp.

Last June, Zhou and her mother and sister went to Hangzhou at Tang's invitation for medical treatment. When they arrived at Tang's small shabby apartment, they were only aware of that the friend giving money so generously was not a wealthy man at all.

For the next two months, while Zhou was in hospital, her mother and sister lived in Tang's 10-square-meter home and took turns nursing the patient.

Hangzhou media reported Tang's good deed, and more than 50,000 yuan in donations for Zhou poured in from all over the city.

"Thanks to Tang and so many nice people, we have conquered so much," Zhou's mother told Shanghai Daily by phone. "I am not literate, but I thank everyone who helped us from the bottom of my heart."

After two months' treatment in Hangzhou, Zhou was able to stagger around, leaning against the wall. Because of financial difficulties, Zhou and her family returned home last August.

Just before the Chinese Lunar New Year, Zhou's mother called Tang telling him that Zhou can now walk a dozen meters without support.

"Hearing this, I felt all my effort was worthwhile," says Tang.

Now many people know that Tang is good-hearted and people with problems turn to him for help.

Last month, a boy from Henan Province who is hospitalized in Hangzhou asked Tang for help. He was suffering a lung cyst and needed surgery costing more than 20,000 yuan. Tang visited and deposited 3,000 yuan into the boy's medical account.

Now Tang has run out of savings, but he promises the boy that he will arrange for help.

"I promised to help you and I will see it through," Tang says. "There's not only me, kind-hearted people are everywhere in Hangzhou."

Hangzhou


 

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