On the first day of 2019, the documentary “Human World”, which once touched the whole country, aired its second season. This time, millions of viewers still cried into tears.
The first episode is aimed at a group of children, a group of children with cancer.
Some of them lost their arms, some were in wheelchairs, some were undergoing a long operation, and some were choosing between life and legs… but no one said they would give up.
A child chosen by misfortune
Nine-year-old Wang Songming underwent an operation. The doctor sawed his leg, took out the bone, removed the tumor on it, and then put the bone without cancer cells back into his body.
After the operation, he cried and said, “My legs are so sore.”
But this is the only way to save his life.
Photo Source: Documentary
In the orthopaedic ward of Shanghai No.1 People’s Hospital, there are many children who have similar experiences with Wang Songming.
They have a cancer called [malignant bone tumor], which is more common in teenagers aged 10 to 20, and the probability of getting sick is only 3 in a million.
Three parts per million is the concept of what?
Du Kemeng, a small patient, said: [It is equivalent to throwing coins 22 times in a row, each time on the front.]
This kind of operation is a process that these children will go through.
Everyone is like this, there is no way
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Photo Source: Documentary
There are about 10,000 new cases of bone cancer in children and adolescents in China every year. Most of the children suffer from pain in the early stage of the disease, but no attention has been paid to it.
By the time it is discovered and confirmed, it is often late.
What is even sadder is this sentence in the documentary: With the rapid development of medicine, the survival rate of malignant bone tumors has not improved significantly in the past 30 years.
Photo Source: Documentary
This is the reality that children have to face in the camera.
[To have my limb amputated,
Apply to me for euthanasia.]
In the ward, Wang Sirong will make a choice: leg or death?
In the summer when she was about to enter the third grade, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Doctors said that her tumor had metastasized, and the whole leg was covered with tumors around the femur, even in the lungs. Amputation was recommended.
Hearing the news, the little girl sat up and looked at her mother as if she did not understand.
Photo Source: Documentary
Stunned for a long time, she suddenly cried.
My mother was at a loss to comfort me: [Look at the Wenchuan earthquake. I smashed both legs at night. You cut off one and there was another.]
Leg or death? This seemingly simple choice, Wang Sirong has always refused.
[If I have to amputate my limb, apply for euthanasia.]
[I will crawl myself to find my way to death.]
Photo Source: Documentary
In the end, the doctor worked out another plan: take out the bones of the two legs through surgery, kill cancer cells, and then put the bones back to avoid amputation.
This is equivalent to sawing off the whole leg and installing it back. For such a large incision, Wang Sirong has only two requirements: [lighter] [cosmetic sewing].
In the operating room, doctors and nurses were busy and orderly. Blood kept permeating the gauze, and the bloody gauze was placed all over the floor.
Photo Source: Documentary
Before the operation, my mother made a bet with her that she could not cry once.
However, when she saw her daughter who was pushed out of the operating room and was covered with various tubes, she still did not hold back, covered her mouth and hid by the window, shaking and crying carefully.
Photo Source: Documentary
She did not let Wang Sirong see all this.
[I am not a good mother.]
Wang Sirong comes from a family that is not rich. His parents work outside all the year round and can only go home once a year.
At the most painful time, she would cry loudly and ask her mother:
Why am I sick? ]
[It’s all your fault that you didn’t take me personally.]
At this time, the simple mother always choked up:
[I am not a good mother.]
[If I can start over, I would rather earn less money. I will be with them.]
Photo Source: Documentary
After being discharged from hospital, Wang Sirong’s parents put down their jobs and concentrated on accompanying their children.
The father, who seldom spoke, personally modified the wheelchair to make his daughter feel more comfortable.
At ordinary times, my frugal mother spent 4000 yuan to buy three air tickets to Gulangyu Island. The family went to see the sea, basked in the sun and spent a rare happy time.
Photo Source: Documentary
[People in the game have a lot of lives,
If you lose, just start over.]
Cai Xuanan was also fighting cancer. The 11-year-old was affectionately called an Zi by his minor patients.
Before he got sick, he was lively and active. He liked playing basketball and skateboarding. However, due to bone tumor, he had to undergo amputation and his left arm could never grow back.
An Zai’s Illness Course
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Photo Source: Documentary
An Zi, who loves to laugh and quarrel with his mother, is very concerned about his lost left arm. Every time he goes out, he will be fully prepared: knead the empty sleeve of his coat into a shape, and then put the cuff into his pocket.
As if the arm was still there.
Photo Source: Documentary
When he doesn’t go out, he likes to play games quietly.
[People in the game have a lot of lives. If they lose, it is good to start over.]
To his delight, at the end of the year, he had a fake arm and once again had two hands. He took a picture happily.
Photo Source: Documentary
For the future life, An Zi is full of expectation. He thinks that his tumor has been removed and he can return to school after chemotherapy.
[Can I carry my schoolbag? ]
[Light is fine, heavy may have some problems]
[After that, I will memorize fewer books]
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Photo Source: Documentary
Immersed in imagining a better life after resuming school, An Zi did not know that the tumor had transferred to his lungs.
No one knows how long the battle against cancer will last.
[Please, I want to go out for a walk]
In the Spring Festival of 2018, An Zi spent his time in a hospital.
He was rushed to the local hospital because of the deterioration of his lung tumor.
In the last days, Anzi was half lying on the sickbed, pale in face, and pleaded with the doctor in a weak voice:
[I really can’t stay in the hospital, I really want to go out for a walk.]
[Please, okay. Doctor, please.]
Photo Source: Documentary
Such a scene, even the doctor could not bear to watch, helplessly got up and left the ward.
In the end, Anzai failed to leave the hospital. He left the last sentence:
[Mom, baby will always love you.]
Photo Source: Documentary
His mother stood by the bed, took his small hand and wept.
In grief, Anzai’s family decided to donate his cornea. At the moment when the donation agreement was signed, she said, “Mom is sorry for you.”
Photo Source: Documentary
This heavy gift of life brought light to a 3-year-old boy who was scalded by boiling water. His family waited for 4 years for this.
An Zi left his last luck on earth and gave it to another child.
Photo Source: Documentary
Every day, we must live a wonderful life.
There are many people in the ward, everyone has the same but different story.
In some stories, the ending may be very sad:
A small patient in the ward died.
I didn’t have time to say goodbye to other children.
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Photo Source: Documentary
Some stories have a good ending:
Once a small patient, has reached the age of starting a family, and found his lover.
Photo Source: Documentary
Some will start a new chapter:
Liu Zihan, 9, was the first of these small patients to finish treatment. On the day she was discharged from hospital, she took down the wrist strap symbolizing the patient, tore it to pieces and threw it into the garbage can.
Why did you take this broken wrist band when you went back?
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Photo Source: Documentary
But more stories are still in progress…
Du Kemeng, 13, found metastasis in her lungs towards the end of chemotherapy. She has always been full of vitality. She said: “The optimistic messenger is a little tired.”
But she will continue to fight.
Even if the future is full of danger and uncertainty, every child in the ward is living every day seriously.
Photo Source: Documentary
They did not give up. Life may be very short, but even if it is as short as fireworks, it can still shine brilliantly.
In the first episode, the film crew recorded the stories of 13 children and their families. By the end of the broadcast, the names of 4 children had been marked with white boxes, which meant that they had left the world.
Photo Source: Documentary
Thanks to these children and families, they told us with disease and pain that the world is full of suffering and fragility, but it is also full of gentleness and beauty.
The world is still there, relatives are still there, I am still there.
This world is worth it.
Source of cover picture: screenshot of documentary
Editor: James, Leo