In 2017, a Chinese farmer named Zhang Liyong from Neijiang, Sichuan Province, drew national attention after he dug a grave for his two-year-old daughter, who was suffering from severe thalassemia, a life-threatening inherited blood disorder. The child required frequent blood transfusions and potentially a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, but the family had already exhausted their savings and could not afford long-term treatment. Zhang said he dug the grave out of despair, believing he might soon lose his daughter and wanting to confront that reality himself. Images and videos of him sitting in the grave with his child spread widely online and sparked public sympathy. Following the public outcry, donations poured in from across China, enabling the girl to continue treatment. Later, after the birth of a younger sister, cord blood was used for a transplant, which helped save her life. The girl survived, recovered, and the grave was eventually filled in. #fblifestyle

In 2017, a Chinese farmer named Zhang Liyong from Neijiang, Sichuan Province, drew national attention after he dug a grave for his two-year-old daughter, who was suffering from severe thalassemia, a life-threatening inherited blood disorder. The child required frequent blood transfusions and potentially a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, but the family had already exhausted their savings and could not afford long-term treatment. Zhang said he dug the grave out of despair, believing he might soon lose his daughter and wanting to confront that reality himself. Images and videos of him sitting in the grave with his child spread widely online and sparked public sympathy. Following the public outcry, donations poured in from across China, enabling the girl to continue treatment. Later, after the birth of a younger sister, cord blood was used for a transplant, which helped save her life. The girl survived, recovered, and the grave was eventually filled in. #fblifestyle