Doing it for the kids

Documentary series follows pediatricians in Hunan, recounting their touching stories as they strive to help children stay healthy.

As the baby's father sat alone, crying with worry outside the operating theater, Doctor Peng Kun was saving his newborn baby's life.

The child was born with a malformation of a critical part of its digestive apparatus. In an incredibly complex operation, Peng had to anesthetize the baby and rectify the problem via skillful, taxing surgery. All the while, the father was shouldering the emotional burden of his child's suffering all by himself, without telling his wife and other family members about the baby's predicament.

Fortunately, the operation was a success. When it was over, the baby quickly came to and proceeded to stick out his tongue, enabling Peng to form a relieved smile under his mask and announce to his colleagues: "What a tough baby!"

The story is recounted in Hi Pediatrician, an eight-episode documentary about the work of pediatricians, which first aired on online platform Xigua Video on July 24. It is coproduced by Xigua and TVZone Media.

According to director Wang Yunhui, they want to find a different angle from which to approach a medical documentary. "Documentaries about hospitals are usually heavy and sad, since hospitals can be regarded as places of life and death. They often make you think that life has endless difficulties. But in a children's hospital, you may find that adorable children can dilute the tension, so this is a different angle.