Martin Li

    martin.mouse@163.com

    HE used to feel at a loss when doctors said there was no cure for his son’s cerebral palsy.

    He finally chose to challenge that verdict, however, by studying rehabilitation methods, and they’ve proved effective for his son.

    He shared his experiences by establishing a rehabilitation center for children with debilitating illnesses, bringing hope to parents of many suffering children.

    He is Wu Zhiyi, a Longgang District resident who was selected last year as one of the top 10 people touching Longgang.

    ‘No cure’

    Wu Zhiyi became the father of a baby boy at the end of 2005. But the baby started developing intracranial hemorrhages five days after his birth. Four operations saved the baby’s life, but left him with conditions affecting his language functions, movement and cognitive abilities.

    The baby was unable to raise his head or swallow his own saliva.

    “I almost went insane,” recalled Wu, who visited cities including Beijing, Zhengzhou and Guangzhou in the following three years to seek a cure for his son.

    “The doctors I met all told me that severe cerebral palsy couldn’t be cured. Some of them tried to persuade me to give up (the search),” Wu said.

    Wu decided, however, to try his best to help his son recover as long as he was alive.

    “I decided to cure my son by myself,” Wu said.

    Efforts pay off

    Starting in October 2008, Wu and parents of three other children suffering from cerebral palsy worked with two professional rehabilitation trainers to get movement training for their children. Wu also gained a lot of rehabilitation experience himself.

    After that, Wu’s home became a small training room and Wu’s son, Wu Siqi, gradually became able to crawl and smile.

    The 7-year-old boy now can jump, run, read simple books and play the electronic synthesizer.

    The son’s gradual recovery has strengthened Wu’s confidence and determination to continue his efforts.

    Extending help

    Wu rented a 300-square-meter apartment in Bantian, Longgang, in 2009 and hired nine professionals to work for his Siqi Special Children Development Center, a rehabilitation facility for children suffering debilitating illnesses such as cerebral palsy.

    “I named the center after my son in hopes that children seeking help there would grow happily with my son,” recalled Wu.

    As the center developed, Wu quit his sales job and became dedicated to helping others.

    When not helping children rehabilitate in the center, Wu actively shares his rehabilitation experiences and answers questions from parents of sick children through social media like QQ and online forums.

    He has written more than 870 posts online and passed certification tests for training and psychological consulting work.

    A mother of a child with cerebral palsy once told Wu her child wasn’t even able to kneel. Wu designed a special training program and several months later, the child was able to crawl slowly.

    In addition, Wu told the mother in detail about causes of abnormal pheromones in the rehabilitation process, such as inconsistent movement and foot eversion, or turning outward.

    “Wu’s rehabilitation program effectively guided me and gave me hope,” the mother recalled.

    Wu’s efforts have earned him the nickname “Father Qiqi.” Qiqi is the nickname of Wu’s son.

    “I used to be only the father of my son. Now I’m ‘Father Qiqi’ to all the children at the rehabilitation center, which gives me a sense of responsibility,” Wu said.

    Wu named his blog “Little Footprints of Qiqi’s Growth.” He uses it to share his experiences in rehabilitation training and working with sick children.

    Problems arise

    Wu’s rehabilitation center moved last year into a three-story building covering 1,300 square meters. His efforts also received recognition from the Longgang District Government.

    “I still need to do more,” said Wu.

    Wu said many parents of children with cerebral palsy could not complete rehabilitation training because of the heavy economic burden.

    “The result is sick children left getting worse,” Wu said.

    Wu’s center charges each child between 2,000 yuan (US$325) and 3,000 yuan each month, which is less than half the cost of many rehabilitation facilities in Shenzhen.

    “However, there are still many people who can’t afford it,” Wu said.

    Wu has provided free rehabilitation to some children nearly since the center’s establishment. Almost 20 children with cerebral palsy have received free rehabilitation.

    “Our capacity is limited, so we can only provide free rehabilitation training to two to three children in each treatment stage,” Wu said.

    Hanging on in there

    Wu’s efforts have drawn increasing attention. Some medical institutions in Taiwan and Hong Kong have set up training bases in Wu’s center, providing free lectures to parents on a regular basis.

    One Foundation, a Shenzhen-based charity organization founded by well-known actor Jet Li, began subsidizing rehabilitation training for children in Wu’s center in 2011.

    On a visit to the center on April 2, Jet Li said he didn’t expect to see such vigor and hope from such sick children, who had been described as pathetic by media.

    “I will persist in what I have been doing forever, guiding families of ill children and encouraging them not to give up hope,” Wu said. “I will hang on in there as long as parents of ill children don’t give up.”

    “I will hang on in there as long as parents of ill children don’t give up.”

    — Wu Zhiyi, a Longgang resident who operates a rehabilitation center for children with debilitating illnesses, bringing hope to parents of many suffering children