A story worth telling

A tale of parental persistence and personal willpower, coupled with a greater understanding of pediatric cancers and government initiatives to improve accessibility to treatment, is providing encouragement to families affected by the disease, Wang Qian reports.

After recovering for 27 years, liver cancer survivor Li Pengfei is on a mission to inspire others to beat the disease.

The 29-year-old man from Datong, Shanxi province, has joined various support groups on social media platforms to connect with people who are on a similar journey. Last year, he became a volunteer at the Shenzhen Shiyu Children Foundation, a nongovernmental organization focused on promoting awareness, patient education and drug discovery for pediatric cancers.

"I hope that by sharing my survival story, I can help more people," Li says.

Li's cancer journey began in 1995, when he was only 1 year old. The local hospital detected a mass in his liver through an X-ray and doctors suggested further tests at top hospitals in Beijing. Although some relatives began to accept giving up treatment as an option, Li's parents took all their savings and decided to save their son's life, no matter how far they had to go. In the coming three years, they had traveled many times between Datong and Beijing.

At Beijing No 301 Hospital, Li was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a type of pediatric liver cancer, and, due to the critical situation, a doctor recommended Zhang Jinzhe, chief physician at Beijing's Children's Hospital, to Li's parents. Zhang suggested that he be treated with chemotherapy and when the tumor was under control, a surgery was possible. Although it meant a lot of money and a high risk of failure, Li's parents forged ahead in a bid to save their son.

"I cannot imagine how much of a struggle it was and how much pressure my parents had endured, especially my mother who was just 22 years old at that time," Li says with tears in his eyes.

"Luckily for me, the surgery was successful and I began to grow strong like other boys," Li says. He spent his second birthday in hospital with a long scar on his abdomen.

Today Li is a 27-year liver cancer survivor who stays busy and positive. He got married in 2018 and his daughter was born one year later.

"People in a similar situation are surprised to learn my story, which brings hope to their life. I want to do more for them," Li says.