Aplastic Anemia Treatment Out of Reach for Rural Chinese
Four year old Jiang Shubao suffers from aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder often caused by benzene exposure. The potentially fatal disease disrupts the ability of bone marrow to produce new blood cells.
Like many aplastic anemia patients, weekly blood transfusions keep Shubao's condition under control, but the cost of the transfusions threatens his family's ability to save for a stem-cell transplant. Shubao's doctors say a stem cell transplant would have an 80 to 90 percent chance of curing his condition.
"only a stem-cell transplant can cure the disease and the earlier the better. Blood transfusions can control the disease but to many can affect his immunity and the efficacy of the transplant" -Dr. Chen Jing
Jiang Shubo's family lives in a small village in southwestern China's Guizhou Provence, and is struggling to pay for the treatments their son needs. The family makes 1000 Yuan (US$146) a month and remains 50,000 Yuan short of the needed 100,000 Yuan for a stem cell transplant.
Jiang Shubo's ten year old sister Jiang Yuelan sister has been declared a stem cell match. She is eager to help her brother and paints pictures for anyone who contributes to the cost of the transplant.
"We only have 50,000 Yuan savings, the weekly cost of blood transfusions is 2,300 Yuan. I don't want to use up the savings on blood transfusions." -Zhou Lianying, Jiang Shubao's mother
