http://www.osccf.org/children_pictures/Chen_Xinai_feet.jpg
Posted by on October 27, 2009

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In the summer of 2004, a handicapped new-born girl was discarded at roadside in a small town in Anhui Province, China. When Ms. Chen Xiangfang found her, she was already soaked in filthy rain water for quite some time. Her tiny little ears, hands and legs were found bitten by insects. Ms. Chen took her home knowing that she’s handicapped with abnormally positioned feet and knees. The unfortunate yet strong baby survived the following high fever and lived like a miracle! Her name is Chen Xin’ai. Five years later, in the summer of 2009, Ms. Chen and 5 year-old Xin’ai were found begging near the entrance of a hospital in Beijing. They were asking for help to raise money for surgery. Besides deformed feet, Xin’ai also suffers from spinal meningocele (a type of spinal defect) and gatism (loss of control of bowel and bladder). Sitting on a piece of mat with her feet twisted to the side, little Xin’ai gave a sweet smile in mommy’s arms while facing the camera. In the past few years, Ms. Chen has taken Xin’ai to quite a few big hospitals around the country. Although bad news came one after another, and money also ran out quickly, she did not give up. The mom and daughter started begging for a living while continue seeking medical aid. Xin’ai has learned appreciation at such a young age. When they received food from others, she would not eat it until her mom took the first bite. Just a couple of month ago, when members of Angel Mommy discovered them, Xin’ai finally got a chance to be diagnosed and treated. She became one of over 30 children being operated for free at Yantai Shan Hospital in Shandong Province. As of now, Xin’ai is still recovering from the surgeries on her legs and feet, and we can hardly wait to see her standing up and running around for the first time! The next challenge is the surgery to cure the spinal meningocele. The first round of operation would cost RMB15,000 and it will be performed at a hospital in Beijing. 15,000 is a huge number for Ms. Chen’s family, as the family already has three older children to raise and been in debt due to the medical expense for Xin’ai over the years. We want to reach out to more people who would like to help such a strong little girl and her beautiful family. Thank you!