Story By: Conor Sheils, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
This is the hero nine-year-old who scoffed his way to gaining an extra 18 kilos so he would be eligible to give his dad a life-saving bone marrow transplant in time for his birthday.
Selfless youngster, Lu Zikuan, was told that although he was a match he needed to weigh more before he would be allowed to undergo the gruelling operation to save his father’s life.
The boy’s dad, Lu Yanheng, from Longnan, a city in China, had battled a form of blood cancer for years and had been left bedridden because of the illness, according to local media.
Pictures Credit: AsiaWire
Mr Lu had previously kept the illness a secret from his kids but finally told them when he needed a spinal bone marrow transplant.
His eldest son, Lu Zikuan, who turned out to be a match, was nevertheless turned down because he but did not weigh enough to be a donor.
The youngster needed to gain at least 15kg to undergo the operation and began eating up to five meals each day in order to pile on the pounds on in a diet which often left him feeling full and uncomfortable, according to local media.
Soon he weighed 48kg and met the requirement to donate spinal marrow, and the operation took place on the 9th of September – just in time for his Dad’s birthday – at Peking University’s People’s Hospital.
The operation was a success and Mr Lu expressed his thanks on social media.
He said: “This is a day I will never forget — my son gave me the hope to live on my birthday. I thank my son for everything he has done for me.
“He said he had pain in his leg and back … this is too much for a child.”
Meanwhile, donations of more than 800,000 RMB (90,188 GBP) were raised to pay for the miracle operation after the news hit the headlines in China.
Zikuan is out of hospital and on a diet – and said he now hopes to get back to about 30kg.
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