CCTV's "News 1+1" aired on January 19, 2012, titled "Every Child is an Angel," and below is the program transcript:
Host:
Hello, dear viewers, welcome to the live broadcast of "News 1+1."
Behind me on this large screen, you'll soon see countless children's faces. Aren't they adorable? They're very much like the apples I have in my hand—green, round, full of hope, and growing. When you smell them, there's a captivating aroma. However, due to genetic or environmental factors, or even medication, these children were born with disabilities. It's just like how these apples are flawed, similar to the famous Apple product logo that also has a flaw. Many things in our lives are like this.
But this reminds us: how should we face such imperfections? Facing children with disabilities, or those who may not have much time left before leaving this world, can we use love and warmth to make their imperfect lives become whole again, lovable again, and dignified?
Today, our program will tell you the stories of two organizations helping children with defects, even terminally ill children—one in Changsha, one in Beijing; one called "Angel Home," the other called "Butterfly Home." As we approach the New Year, we should feel this love and warmth, although during this process, you might shed some tears. Let's first step into the "Butterfly Home."
(Short film played)
Narrator:
In Hunan Province, Changsha, there is such a big family. Here, 13 children live together, the oldest being four years old, the youngest merely ten months. Like all children of the same age, they are lively and active.
"Butterfly Home" caregivers Yan Lai Zhu and Du Ping:
As soon as we come in, they happily call out 'Mommy' and hug us, kiss us. When you hold them, they jump with joy.
Narrator:
They are innocent and joyful, and they also mischievous like other children of the same age.
"Butterfly Home" Manager Xiao Xiaoping:
She teases me. She touches your hair from behind, pulls your clothes, and when you turn around, she pretends it wasn't her.
Narrator:
Innocent, carefree, joyful, and mischievous, these children who seem no different live in a place called "Butterfly Home," which is also China's first pediatric palliative care institution.
Xiao Xiaoping:
The most serious cases now are these two children with biliary atresia because their life expectancy was determined to be short even before they were sent to the welfare home or abandoned.
Founder and Nursing Director of "Butterfly Home" Jin Lin:
Our focus isn't on the length of life but on the quality of life. If she enjoys today, then that's good enough.
Narrator:
Ms. Jin Lin comes from Manchester, UK. In May last year, she and her husband came to Changsha and cooperated with the First Social Welfare Institute of Changsha to establish this "Butterfly Home." Over the past year, they have received 38 severely ill children. Together with Jin Lin, there are 18 staff members taking care of these children, introducing themselves as Aunties, while the children refer to them as "Mommy."
Non-stop care for 24 hours, daily hugs, kisses, and praise—the interactions between the children and the caregivers may be brief, but the emotions are deep and lasting. Farewell is the harsh reality they must face.
Xiao Xiaoping:
It was around 10 o'clock in the morning on a day in September.
"Butterfly Home" caregiver Yang Yueqing:
She suddenly fell ill and started vomiting blood.
Xiao Xiaoping:
After that major bout of bleeding, she was almost completely drained of energy, and we knew her end was near.
Narrator:
Ningning was one of the earliest children to come to the "Butterfly Home" and also one of the most recent to leave. In April 2010, at only four months old, she came here suffering from biliary atresia, her skin deeply yellow, and her abdomen filled with fluid causing her constant pain.
Jin Lin:
She was a very happy little girl. At that time, she could walk along furniture, say a few simple words, and even celebrated her first birthday, so she was quite content.
Narrator:
Happy and full of character, Ningning touched everyone despite her illness, but she had to leave.
Dean of the First Social Welfare Institute of Changsha Long Huan:
I encountered her in the elevator; she ran over crying wanting to get back to her post. She said her child was going, and I thought it was her own child, but it turned out she rushed back to her workplace and embraced the child she usually cared for.
"Butterfly Home" caregiver Ma Liqun:
They called me and told me to hurry over. I immediately ran, but before I reached halfway, they called again saying to hurry up. I got anxious, and I cried all the way there.
Xiao Xiaoping:
All the Aunts who took care of Ningning rushed over, all arriving within half an hour from various parts of the city.
Du Ping:
We stood beside her, singing songs for her, but we really couldn't help but cry while singing.
Yang Yueqing:
We all kissed her on the head and face, telling her we loved her.
Narrator:
Although everyone seemed unable to accept it, Ningning passed away peacefully in her mother's arms.
Xiao Xiaoping:
She passed away very peacefully. She had fully enjoyed all the joys a child should experience, lacking nothing in love. Although this love didn't come from her biological parents, it was a more selfless kind of love.
Narrator:
Holding the children in their arms and bidding them farewell is also a fixed ritual here. To this day, among all 38 children, less than half have passed away. Among the remaining children, five have undergone surgeries with the help of raised funds in places like Shanghai and Hong Kong and are recovering. One recovered child has been adopted by a foreign family, and three others have completed adoption procedures.
Host:
The "Butterfly Home" in Changsha was established in April last year. Its main service targets are children under 16 years old with an expected lifespan of only six months, including orphaned and disabled children, as well as children from families in Changsha who meet the above criteria. What is pediatric palliative care? It means providing double comfort and support—physiological and psychological—to children who are about to leave this world, reducing their pain, supporting the families of these sick children, including their parents, and involving them in the process of palliative care.
A common Chinese saying goes, "Life is as brilliant as summer flowers, death as serene as autumn leaves." Palliative care ensures that children pass away quietly, beautifully, and with dignity.
Let's listen to Wang Zhenyao, Dean of the Philanthropy Research Institute at Beijing Normal University, regarding his evaluation of the emergence of such civilian rescue institutions.
(Telephone interview)
Wang Zhenyao, Dean of the Philanthropy Research Institute at Beijing Normal University:
If we can provide terminal care for children, especially severely disabled children, it proves that our entire society has developed significantly. Also, what we often talk about—humanitarianism, human rights—these were politically interpreted in the past without specific details being implemented. We feel that ensuring and respecting children, especially when they reach the brink of life, means that our society still has such facilities and projects. You know how much this will contribute to the overall advancement of society. I think this is a sign.
Host:
The successful operation of the "Butterfly Home" owes much to the efforts of all aspects in Changsha, the assistance personnel, and the support of all sectors of society. Among these, a British couple plays a very important role. The wife is named Jin Lin, a nurse with 35 years of experience who retired early to come to China.
(Telephone interview)
Narrator:
Ms. Jin Lin is 61 years old this year. In the UK, she worked as a nurse for 35 years, responsible for coordinating work involving 1500 beds. Her professional background prompted her to set the goal of making children's palliative care her career objective. In 2009, she brought her plan to Changsha.
Jin Lin:
We came to Changsha, and the Changsha Welfare Institute and the local government were very open-minded and cooperative. Moreover, they were willing to help struggling families avoid abandoning their children.
Long Huan:
From the start of negotiations in 2009 until the official launch of this project in May 2010, it only took a few short months, and we successfully built this project very well.
Narrator:
Children's palliative care is available in only a few regions globally. The smooth opening of Jin Lin's "Butterfly Home" was inseparable from the support of the civil affairs department.
Director of the Civil Affairs Bureau of Changsha Cao Zaixing:
At the time, despite some policy obstacles in the registration process, we made some adjustments. We also hoped that by introducing this institution, we would draw the attention and concern of the entire society.
Narrator:
Currently, the cooperation model between the First Social Welfare Institute of Changsha and the "Butterfly Home" is that the welfare institute provides nursing venues for the "Butterfly Home" and grants each child a subsidy of 800 yuan per month. In return, the "Butterfly Home" accepts and cares for critically ill children from the welfare institute. Currently, there are a total of 580 orphaned and disabled children in the First Social Welfare Institute of Changsha. Among them, 280 are taken care of by the welfare institute itself. Almost all of them are abandoned children with physical disabilities, with over 90% requiring one-on-one care from nursing staff. Therefore, the welfare institute needs more professional nursing capabilities.
Long Huan:
For example, she requires every caregiver to know how to hold a child, how to feed milk, what temperature it should be, and how to judge a child's condition based on its cries. Our current caregivers cannot achieve this point, so I believe she can do it. I think we should learn from her and strive to achieve the same.
Narrator:
Among the 18 mothers in the "Butterfly Home," the average age is 46. Before coming to the "Butterfly Home," some were retired, some laid off, and some unemployed. Interacting with these special children has given them many insights.
Yang Yueqing:
This gives us a sense of values. Regardless of whether a child is disabled, unable to speak, or not good-looking, they have value in life and should enjoy the warmth of normal people.
Ma Liqun:
I am really proud to be here. No matter how hard or tired I am, I am proud. I feel so honored that someone needs me so much.
Narrator:
Looking to the future, Jin Lin hopes to extend this love to families with disabled and sick children, providing them with nursing knowledge and psychological counseling. This will effectively reduce the abandonment rate of weak orphans, a goal recognized by the Civil Affairs Bureau of Changsha.
Cao Zaixing:
In the next step, we will also consider adopting its concept and good professional technology to promote such projects, allowing our "Butterfly Home" to serve more children, including those outside the institute.
Long Huan:
Actually, this society is a mutually touching one. Everyone moves each other, let alone charity which knows no boundaries.
Host:
The establishment and operation time of the "Butterfly Home" is not long, and initially, few people knew about it. Therefore, a considerable amount of donations and aid came from foreign funds or individuals. However, with relevant media reports, domestic charitable donations and funds quickly accounted for half, and this proportion may further increase in the future. Meanwhile, facing such patients, please note that Jin Lin is a professional person. She is a nurse with 35 years of experience, playing a crucial role. People are also looking forward to more institutions like this where more professionals can get involved and provide more specialized training. Let's listen to what Dean Wang Zhenyao of the Philanthropy Research Institute of Beijing Normal University has to say.
(Telephone interview)
Wang Zhenyao:
Training is essential because that training is highly specialized. This specialized training must be carried out by dedicated personnel. Angel moms show love, but part of the angel moms can involve some retirees or some nurses as volunteers, or our nursing schools can act as volunteers, thereby promoting the formation of a relatively strong professional team.
Host:
Yes, facing these children requires more professionalism, and professionalism will ensure that love is put into practice more concretely. Did anyone notice that when Wang Zhenyao mentioned this, he talked about the Angel Moms, yes, closely related to our next story. Speaking of the Angel Moms team, an accidental event once facilitated their journey until today.
In 2007, as volunteers, they received a call from Henan province's volunteers, saying that four children with congenital heart disease were on the verge of death. Without much thought, these Angel Moms quickly sprang into action. Look at this screen; they rented a house immediately. At that time, the house was empty, but soon, with the help of donated refrigerators, beds, and various items from caring individuals, the house was filled, and the "Angel Home" began operating quietly, continuing until today. Let's delve into their story.