Osteopetrosis is a rare, congenital bone disease in which the bones become overly dense. The effects of this condition include fractures, loss of cranial nerve function and low blood cell production, which in turn result in blindness, deafness and facial nerve paralysis.
This is certainly not a disease you would expect a young child to contract.
Yet, in Henan, China, there is one little 7-year-old girl – Wang Yue – who suffers from this very condition. We bring you her story not for you to simply cry on her behalf, but to celebrate the goodness of her heart and her love for and loyalty to her little sister and family.
Selfless sibling love
Little Wang Yue is reported by the China Press, to have been diagnosed with this life-threatening disease when she noticed some time ago that her vision was blurry, interfering with her love of reading.
However, despite this and her condition getting worse each passing day, she refuses to take Western medicine that could potentially help her. Instead, she drinks seven bowls of traditional Chinese medicine each day.
Why?
Because her baby sister also has the same disease and Wang Yue wants to save every bit of money that she can to help her father get her sister the necessary treatment!
Image credit: China Press
“I’m big already, it doesn’t matter if I don’t undergo the treatment”
The family of Wang Yue and her sister had reportedly found a compatible bone marrow donor and had hoped both their children could get life-saving transplants if all went well.
However, the surgical fee for one child is 500,000 yuan (over 3.8 million pesos) and this high cost is prohibitive when it comes to treating both little ones. Moreover, the children’s father had already spent the bulk of his savings on earlier treatments, according to the China Press.
Even after family and friends helped out by lending the family money, only around 200,000 yuan (1.5 million pesos) was collected.
Moms and dads, do you know what brave little Wang Yue told her father when she realized that surgery would probably only be possible for one of them?
“Since we can’t manage to borrow so much money, I will give up on the treatment then. I have some savings here, combine it with the money you borrowed to save my sister.
“I’m big already, it doesn’t matter if I don’t undergo the treatment. Here’s some money that I’ve saved up, please take it.”
And she handed over some coins she had collected to her father.
Her sweet words and kind heart have captured the hearts of netizens in China and now around the world and thankfully, more funds are rolling in to help the sisters.
20 ways to teach your children kindness
Moms and dads, Wang Yue’s story captured our attention because of her absolute selflessness and pure heart. How do you teach your child to be kind? Here are 20 ways:
- Take turns. No one needs to go first all the time.
- Say please and thank-you. Good manners are a form of kindness are never out of place and never go out of style.
- Lose graciously. Knowing how to lose is more important than knowing how to win. Every child needs to lose sometimes so someone else can win.
- Make newcomers feel welcome. Teach your children to ask the new kid to sit with them at lunch and play with them at recess. Everyone deserves a chance.
- Take a stand against bullying. Teach your children to never participate in bullying another child.
- Share.
- Paying compliments is a form of kindness. If their friend has a great pair of shoes, they should tell them. Everyone likes to be complimented.
- Be respectful of those in authority. Ask any teacher and they would rather have a room full of respectful, well-behaved students than a room full of pretentious, selfish geniuses.
- Do not be prejudiced. Teach your children to make their decisions about people based on their character-not on their color or ethnic background.
- Give to those in need. But when they do, they need to give from their best-not from the leftovers or cast-offs.
- Volunteer. Children need to volunteer their time to help those in need or for a worthy cause.
- Take care of the environment by not littering or picking up litter.
- Be kind to animals. Never allow your child to mistreat an animal.
- Humility. Instill the desire to be kind and compassionate with no strings attached. In other words, help your children become these things rather than merely do these things for recognition or payback.
- Say ‘I’m sorry’. Children need to know how important it is to take responsibility for their wrong-doing.
- Be forgiving. Holding a grudge is never the thing to do.
- Smiling is a contagious form of kindness and should be passed around whenever possible. And what better place to start than with your child?
- Don’t call names. Teasing and name-calling get out of hand so quickly. Avoiding these actions is the kindest way to be.
- Lend a hand. Helping parents, siblings, neighbors and older family members without being asked is a generous act of kindness. Once again pay it forward!
- Express your love for those you love. Teach your children the value of saying ‘I love you’.
We at theAsianparent Philippines are positive that Wang Yue and her sister will receive the treatment they need, because kindness always pays off. We wish them all the very best in health, and life.
Reference and images
China Press
This article was originally published on theAsianparent Singapore
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