Cancer charity brings Liang Liang new hope
By Li Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-07-02 06:50

A father who tried to kill himself and sell his organs to raise money for his cancer-stricken son received a huge lift on Friday after the director of a US cancer charity read his story in China Daily.

Bernard P. Hicks, director of America's Baby Cancer Foundation, called China Daily on Friday and said his foundation was willing to help the boy - Liang Liang - after reading the family's plight in Thursday's newspaper.

Hicks said his foundation could take 14-year-old Liang Liang to the United States for medical treatment and cover all expenses.

"I don't know how to express my gratitude," said father Sun Jing when he heard the news.

"I'm so touched that Liang Liang could have such good fortune to receive the care and love of so many warm-hearted people," Sun said, breaking into tears of joy.

The 41-year-old farmer has been moved to tears many times in the past few days as donations and best wishes poured in.

"I owe a debt of gratitude. I hope I can recover quickly and repay it," said Liang Liang, currently being treated at the Navy General Hospital in Beijing.

So far, the teenager has received donations totalling 100,000 yuan (US$12,000), more than 30,000 yuan (US$3,600) of which was raised by the China Red Cross Foundation, which set up a special fund for leukaemia-hit children on Wednesday.

The boy was hospitalized on Thursday night, with one doctor on Friday describing his condition as very serious.

"Liang Liang's density of white blood cells is more than 10 times the normal level," said doctor Huang Youzhang.

Huang said Liang Liang needed to receive chemotherapy and a haematopoietic stem cell transplant. "The total cost will be at least 400,000 yuan (US$48,000)," said the doctor.

Liang Liang's father, a native of East China's Shandong Province, said although he still needed to raise money, he was no longer pessimistic.

"Where there is love, there is hope," he said.

On Monday he swallowed 48 sleeping pills and left a letter saying he was willing to donate his organs to people who could help his son. Sun was saved after being rushed to hospital.

(China Daily 07/02/2005 page1)

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