Cerebral Palsy Assistance | "New Hope" National Public Welfare Project Helps Girl with Cerebral Palsy in Xinjiang

Love makes people feel warmth and moved; it embodies people's understanding and recognition of kindness. It pierces through the world's indifference and disdain, transcending ethnic boundaries, allowing love to perpetually circulate and thrive amidst national unity, enduring endlessly.

The smiling girl is named Haili Admuwail, hailing from the beautiful Xinjiang. At the age of 11, she possesses a pair of beautiful big eyes. At an age where she should be talented, lively, and innocent, her life has been overshadowed by cerebral palsy, which has led to poor brain development and impaired movement in her limbs. Consequently, her life seems to have lost its rightful colors.

"When Haili was eight months old, she had a high fever, and since then, she gradually became different from other normal children. She was slow in learning to speak, and her limb movements worsened over time. It wasn't until she was two years old that she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. It was a big blow to us. I have to take care of my older sister and two younger sisters. I can't work, so we rely on her father selling flatbread to support our large family." As she looked at Haili beside her, a faint but noticeable sadness crept onto Haili's mother's face. Perhaps it was the fatigue and pressure of life that made this young mother not very articulate.

Currently, the prevalence of cerebral palsy among children aged 0-6 in our country is between 0.19% to 0.4%. In remote areas of northwest China, the prevalence of cerebral palsy in children is as high as 0.56%. Due to household poverty, many families lack the financial means to treat children with cerebral palsy. Moreover, more families believe that cerebral palsy cannot be cured, so many families can only choose to give up. As a result, some children with cerebral palsy miss the optimal treatment period, leading to lifelong disabilities.

"We learned about the Noulai Medical cerebral palsy assistance program through the Xinjiang Liaison Office in Beijing. Where we live, it usually takes one or two hours by car just to get out, then several days on a train. Many families in situations similar to ours have already given up on treatment for their children. Haili is very strong herself. Although she has difficulty moving, she wears a smile on her face every day. We can't bear to see her continue like this."

"Hello, nurse sisters, hello, doctor aunties, thank you!" Despite being an 11-year-old child with cerebral palsy, Haili can clearly express her wishes in Mandarin: "I like to eat the flatbread my dad bakes, and I want to get better soon." Facing the camera, Haili always smiles, her eyes radiating confidence and strength.

Not abandoning, not giving up, perseverance ultimately brings hope. After several days of twists and turns, Haili and her mother arrived at the foot of Mount Tai, at the Noulai Medical Center, where they received assistance and treatment. After a series of preoperative preparations such as consultations and examinations, Professor Tian Zengmin, the chief expert in neurological disorders at Noulai Medical, and his team performed the rescue surgery for Haili.

"Our technique utilizes neurosurgical robotic systems to assist in frameless stereotactic brain surgery. We have successfully completed over 20,000 surgeries. The incision is very small, only 2-3 millimeters, and the entire procedure takes only about 30 minutes. The surgery is very safe, so please rest assured and wait for your child to come out." Outside the operating room, Professor Tian Zengmin kindly explained the surgery to Haili's mother, helping her alleviate her nervousness.

Hope always accompanies waiting, and the changes in Haili after the surgery are very noticeable. "Her fingers are more flexible than before, her legs are straighter than before. Now she can try to stand and sit down by herself. I never expected such a significant improvement. Thank you all so much." The improvements gained brought a long-lost smile to Haili's mother, who expressed her deep gratitude in slightly hesitant Mandarin, filled with excitement.

Before the surgery: Haili's speech was unclear and not fluent, and she had high muscle tone in her limbs, leading to difficulty in movement of the upper and lower limbs.

After the surgery: Haili's speech pronunciation became clearer and more fluent than before, and the muscle tone in her lower limbs decreased compared to before. Additionally, she was able to stand for a longer period of time.

The act of assistance may seem small, but it embodies the care between individuals, especially the society's attention and support for children with cerebral palsy. While expressions of gratitude may be few, they carry the sincerest emotions from the families of the affected children.

Jewish writer Elie Wiesel once said, "The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference; the opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference; the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference." With a little more understanding, a little more care, a little less indifference, and a little less guard, may more compassionate individuals participate in assistance, enabling more children with cerebral palsy to regain new hope!