The younger sister showed more curiosity about the birth of her younger brother. Reporter Wang Xiang and Meng Zhubin of New Express took the photos.
The twin sister suffering from severe thalassemia is expected to be treated, but the umbilical cord blood can only temporarily save one person.
â– Reporters Wang Jianping of New Express and intern Song Kaixin
"Quickly bring QiQi and YingYing up, let them wait for their younger brother at the door." Mr. Song Yuanxiang happily asked his cousin to bring his twins upstairs. Then, he told his daughters while holding the baby: "This is your younger brother, he came here to save you." Yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Tian Xiongfei, wife of Mr. Song Yuanxiang, gave birth to a son at Guangzhou Women's Hospital. And this son had been shouldering a major mission even before he was born: to save his two sick twin sisters!
Good news from the hospital
The child is very healthy, and can help save lives!
In November 2008, Mr. and Mrs. Song Yuanxiang from Shiban Town, Zunyi County, Guizhou Province were filled with sorrow: their twin daughters QiQi and YingYing, who were only eight months old, were diagnosed with thalassemia, and it was severe! After spending all their savings and borrowing more than 100,000 yuan, their daughters' conditions did not improve. In March this year, when the couple heard that using umbilical cord blood from a sibling for bone marrow transplantation could save their daughters' lives, they immediately made a tragic and risky decision: to have another child! But there was only a one in four chance that the newborn would be healthy.
In July this year, the child was checked at Nanfang Hospital and found to be healthy, and genetically matched with the twin sisters. More than ten days ago, the couple came to Guangzhou again, waiting for the birth of the "life-saving child" and collecting the umbilical cord blood. Guangzhou Women's Hospital reached out to help after learning about their difficulties, waiving all related costs for Mrs. Tian Xiongfei's surgery and hospitalization.
At 2:20 PM yesterday afternoon, Mrs. Tian Xiongfei was pushed into the delivery room. Half an hour later, the head nurse came out with a bag of fresh red umbilical cord blood and told Mr. Song Yuanxiang, who had been waiting at the door: "It's a boy. Seven catties and three liangs (approximately 3.65 kg). Very healthy. The mother is also doing well."
Last night, Mr. Song Yuanxiang called the reporter to share the good news and hoped that everyone could help give his son a meaningful nickname and formal name.
There are still two major difficulties
Who to save first? Where will the money come from?
According to information from Nanfang Hospital, although Mr. Song Yuanxiang's son has been born, his umbilical cord blood can only save one sister, and the other sister will have to wait until the child is over a year old to extract his bone marrow for transplantation. Regarding the issue of which daughter to save, Mr. Song Yuanxiang is currently very distressed and finds it difficult to make a decision. Mr. Song Yuanxiang said: "At that time, I can only close my eyes and hug whichever one I reach."
What troubles Mr. and Mrs. Song Yuanxiang the most is where to get the money for their daughters' bone marrow transplants. According to his understanding, one bone marrow transplant costs 200,000 yuan, which is an astronomical figure for a family that is already struggling.