This China Daily article says “she had never used a computer before, and she had no idea what a blog was. But it was this online innovation she knew nothing about that helped save her life. Chen Dongxiang, 12, from a remote mountain village in Central China’s Hunan Province, had been suffering from blood poisoning since last June. Soaring medical costs made it impossible for her family to help her, even as her leg was decomposing. Hope seemed lost. But because of a blogger, Li Guozhong, her story did not end there. Li, an amateur photographer from Hunan, was the first to report Chen’s condition on his blog on May 24. Li had travelled to her village of Huaihua last month on a photography trip. While there he learned of Chen, who had already wracked up 100, 000 yuan (US$12, 500) in medical bills at the local hospital. Her mother was mentally retarded and her father blind in his right eye. The 800-yuan (US$100) annual income of her 11-member family was far from enough to cover further medical treatment. Chen’s left shinbone was putrid and the infection was spreading. If nothing was done, she would lose her left leg forever, and perhaps even her life. Li could not bear to stand idle. Knowing he could not save the girl on his own, he resorted to the online blog he had just launched. “Please lend this girl a hand, ” the 49-year-old office-bearer wrote. “Her left trouser leg was tucked up, revealing a piece of white bone from her knee to her ankle Fluid was seeping out. The air was stagnant with flies buzzing around I could hardly hold back my tears. ” Li’s article, together with a series of photos of the girl, triggered a wide response. According to Ma Xiaolin, a journalist-turned-businessman who is also the CEO of the Daqi website, where Li’s blog is published, Chen received some initial treatment at Huaihua’s No 1 People’s Hospital after her story was publicized online”.
Blog saves Chinese girl
- June 13th, 2006
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by Jim_Downing
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