Little Red Scarf: So Lovely You Are

Little Red Scarf Care serves to provide financial means and encouragement to children suffering from congenital heart disease. In addition, they provide the family with post-operative care and help their child sustain a healthy lifestyle. In this story, we are introduced to a unique child, Xiao wen, and hear how she overcame her operation and smiled at the end. Read the original article here. 
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We would always see many children in the hospital. Each of them was so lovely and unique.
Xiao wen was my little heroine. She was the one of those special children. Although she was only five, she touched each of us through her own special way. Even in her unfortunate predicament, her smiles and actions showed us she was so happy and lovely. Just a hug, a smile, a naughty tap on her forehead or a “V” gesture could make her happy.
Her grandmother took Xiao wen to see doctor in the provincial capital, Lanzhou, nearly 600 miles away from her hometown. Moreover, her old grandmother was illiterate, making this an even tougher trip. Though there were lots of difficulties, her grandmother never gave up the hope to cure her granddaughter. Xiao wen’s father had severe depression. Her mother grew confused and scared by her father’s self-abuse. Xiao wen’s grandfather was 60 and had grey hair. In order to make money to pay for Xiao wen’s treatment, he would like do any job he could to support his granddaughter, even if it offered just a miniscule amount of money. Xiao wen’s grandfather was disabled and his lumbar was seriously deformed. Heavy physical work could worsen, even palsy, his injury.
Xiao wen’s operation went well, but she had been in danger. When we saw Xiao wen in the ICU, she took my hand and asked me to stay. At that moment tears dropped from her eyes, and I knew she needed someone’s support. Xiao wen was removed to the common ward six days after the operation. It never occurred to us that Xiao wen made ”V” gestures to us and smiled while recovering. It was so amazing that Xiao wen was still herself. I couldn’t help kissing and hugging her for her happiness.
Xiao wen, so excellent you are! What a lovely and unique girl you are.

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Original article by Yun Jie, translated by Shishi Ma, edited by US intern Ally Nguyen.