Before she was sick, Yifan was a beautiful and lovely girl; now, the thin girl is lying in the hospital bed. This photo was taken by reporter Jiale Zhu. Report by Shuo Wang: "Mom, I don't want to be treated anymore. Let's save the money for my younger brothers and sisters to go to school." By yesterday, Yifan, a 13-year-old girl from a migrant worker school, had been sick for three months without a clear diagnosis. Worried that her illness would drag down her already impoverished family, little Yifan had repeatedly expressed her desire to abandon treatment.
Yifan is a sixth-grade student at Yu Ying School in Chaoyang District. Her school was one of those shut down by the Chaoyang Education Commission as part of the district's efforts to close migrant worker schools. The new school term has started, and while some of Yifan's classmates have been transferred to other schools and others have returned to their hometowns, Yifan can only lie alone in her hospital bed.
On June 9th, just before the summer vacation, a lump suddenly appeared on Yifan's thigh. At the time, the doctor said it was lymphatic inflammation, and after receiving intravenous fluids for a few days, Yifan returned to school. Unexpectedly, a few days later, the lump reappeared on her leg, and another lump appeared on her neck, accompanied by persistent high fever.
On June 22nd, Yifan was admitted to the pediatric research institute. She suffered from persistent high fever, enlarged liver and spleen, pleural effusion, and breathing difficulties. On July 29th, Yifan's breathing became increasingly weak, and the hospital issued a critical condition notice, moving her to the intensive care unit for emergency treatment. After ten days, Yifan's condition improved somewhat, but when she was moved out of the ICU, she had lost 14 pounds.
After leaving the ICU, the understanding Yifan quietly pulled her mother’s hand and said, "Mom, how much money have you borrowed outside? Don't waste all the money on me. I don't want to be treated anymore. Save the money for my younger brothers and sisters to go to school."
"How could a mother bear to give up on such a tall child who stands taller than her?" While wiping away tears, Yifan's mother, Gaoli Zhang, took out a diary book, showing dozens of notes exchanged between her and Yifan during the ten days Yifan spent in the ICU.
"Mom, I don't want to be treated anymore. Please stop spending money on me..." Reading these notes written by Yifan, Gaoli Zhang cried uncontrollably.
The Zhang family comes from Zhumadian, Henan Province, and they have four children, with Yifan being the second oldest. Yifan's father works as a cleaner in a company, earning just enough for the family to make ends meet.
So far, Yifan has undergone four bone marrow punctures and two biopsies, yet the cause of her illness remains undiagnosed. Dr. Tao Hu from the Hematology Department of the Pediatric Research Institute said that the current treatment for Yifan is somewhat effective, but since there is no definitive diagnosis, this approach cannot continue indefinitely. The condition is likely to recur.
Currently, Yifan's parents are still trying to raise money. In the past three months, including examination fees and ten days in the ICU, the cost has approached 200,000 yuan, almost all borrowed from relatives and friends. "We've basically borrowed from everyone we can think of, but we really can't come up with any more solutions," said Yifan's father. Someone suggested they apply for the Little Angel Fund from the Red Cross Foundation, but because Yifan's illness has not been definitively diagnosed, it is difficult to obtain the fund.
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