Doctor helps kids get on their feet for free

There are nearly 2 million children diagnosed with cerebral palsy -- or simply called CP in China -- and this number is increasing every year. If they receive treatment before the age of 3, it is possible for them to be able to walk. In Ruzhou city of central China’s Henan province, one doctor is trying to make this happen. His hospital has been treating children, including orphans with cerebral palsy, free of charge for 7 years.

These poor little kids are orphans diagnosed with cerebral palsy. They might have been abandoned by their parents, but they have not been forgotten by the rest of the world.

One doctor is willing to give them treatment free of charge. This is Song Zhaopu, a doctor of Traditional Chinese medicine at Jingeng Hospital in Ruzhou, Henan province. Since 2009, he has treated nearly 3,000 orphans with cerebral palsy. 800 of them recovered and were adopted by families both in China and abroad.

"We are doctors. It’s our responsibility to treat and save people. If we are able to treat these children, we should do that. We’re happy to see those recovered children adopted by loving families and living a happy life," Song said.

This is Song Zhaopu, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Jingeng Hospital in Ruzhou, Henan province. Since 2009, he has treated nearly 3,000 orphans with cerebral palsy. 800 of them recovered and were adopted by families both in China and abroad.

Jingeng Hospital experienced several obstacles after receiving these orphans. There was not enough room to accommodate them. And Song had to pay for their baby formula, nursing staff and medical equipment. All of this came out of his own pocket.

52-year-old Song has been practicing medicine for 37 years. He earned his reputation by combining traditional Chinese medicine and rehabilitation exercises in his treatment procedure. 

In 2015, Song paid a trip to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where he was shocked to see so many children with cerebral palsy need help. 

Song decided to take them back to Ruzhou.

 

"Before we came here, my boy couldn’t stand at all. His feet were bending all the time. We spent all of our savings to treat him, but no progress was found. In the second month when we came here, he could stand for 30 seconds on his own. Now he can walk. Both of us are happy," said Gulisumusake, patient's mother.

"It’s impossible to bring all of the kids here. To treat more children with cerebral palsy from Xinjiang, two rehabilitation centers have been set up in Moyu county and the Hotan prefecture. Up until now, 379 children have received treatment there," Song said.

Today, more attention has been paid to these children. Song’s hospital became a designated hospital as part of the "Tomorrow Plan" of the Ministry of Civil Affairs in 2013, which aims to provide surgical and rehabilitation services to disabled Chinese orphans.

But every year, more than 5,000 children with cerebral palsy are born in Henan province only. To cure them all, we have a long way to go.