A video of parents marrying off their two-year-old toddlers with leukemia has now gone viral, moving people to tears and highlighting the plight of kids with acute myelogenous leukemia.
The special real-life wedding ceremony was organised in Beijing, China. Apart from the parents, the only other guests were volunteers who work towards spreading awareness about this type of cancer.
In fact, it was these volunteers who provided the decorations for the venue, the ceremonial clothes and even the venue.
Parents marry off two-year-old toddlers with leukemia
The two toddlers — boy Wu Tianyi and girl Sun Yichen — are from the Henan province. They were first diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in 2017.
This is a type of cancer wherein the bone marrow creates excessive myeloblasts (a type of white blood cells), red blood cells and platelets. The severity of the condition required them to undergo chemotherapy a few times.
However, that failed to ease symptomatic pains. They are now awaiting bone marrow transplants.
In fact, both the toddlers with leukemia were receiving treatment in the same room at Aerospace Center Hospital in Beijing. Perhaps this is why their heartbroken parents decided to hold this special “wedding ceremony” for them.
Families of both the little bride and groom | Image courtesy: YouTube/screengrab
Emotional parents wanted to see their kids get married
While speaking to the press, Wu Laixin, the little groom’s father said, “By holding this wedding, we want our kids to know that their parents have never given up hope.”
“We hope that the children can hold their real wedding ceremony one day,” he added.
The mothers were equally emotional about their toddlers with leukemia.
“I put on the dress for my daughter. After I did it, I cried,” Yichen’s mother Hu Xiaomeng told MailOnline.
“It’s my dream to see her wear wedding dress one day, but because she is very ill now, I fear I might not get the chance to see it. She shares a ward with Tianyi and the two of them get along well, so we thought we should have the ceremony,” the 26-year-old Hu added.
Parents are draining all their savings for their kids’ treatments
Hu, who is a full-time housewife, along with her driver husband, has already depleted their family savings to pay for their daughter’s rising medical bills. They even had to sell their home.
She told the daily that the family is now trying to borrow money from friends and relatives to fund the bone marrow transplant. And that may cost the family 800,000 yuan (SGD $166,728.00).
“The doctors told me the transplant would take place soon. My husband will donate his bone marrow to her. He’s stopped working because he needs to rest and prepare for the transplant,” said Ms Hu. “No matter how hard it is, I’ll save my daughter,” she told MailOnline.
Tianyi’s family from Henan, also share a similar story.
Wu Laixin, Tianyi’s father told MailOnline, “It’s a big thing for every parent to see their son get married. My son is going to have the transplant and I don’t know if it will succeed. So I want him to have a wedding.”
Wu Tianyi and Sun Yichen at their wedding ceremony | Image courtesy: YouTube/screengrab
“We asked Yichen’s parents if she’s willing to be his bride, and they agreed,” he added.
As for the transplant Laixin said, “If the transplant is successful. After he grows up, he could look back at it and remember how strong he was once.”
He also mentioned that he quit his job as a fruit vendor and, along with his homemaker wife, is trying raise money for the transplant.
“I’ve quit my job, so now I’m trying to make some money by broadcasting our life through a live-streaming app,” he said.
‘Everyone present was so moved by the scenes’
As for the wedding ceremony, both sets of parents said that they were happy with their decision and thanked the organiser Han Yuqui.
Yuqui, a 21-year-old university student said, “Everyone present was so moved by the scenes. We all cried. I sincerely hope the two children could recover from their ordeal, and I hope more people could extend their help to unfortunate families like them.”
While their case is both emotional and shocking, they did manage to highlight one crucial issue: cancer in children can be heartbreaking. And that is why there is a need to be aware of signs of cancer in children.
5 signs of cancer in children you shouldn’t miss
As mentioned in our previous article, cancer signs in children can be tricky to spot. But early detection can help save them. Here are a few signs you must watch out for:
1. Frequent nosebleeds
According to National University Hospital in Singapore, frequent and persistent nosebleeds are a symptom of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), which is the most common type of cancer in children.
If a child experiences frequent nosebleeds up to four or five times a month, this might be a red flag for cancer.
2. Enlarged lymph nodes
Painless, enlarged lymph nodes could be a sign of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Lymphoma is caused by tumors that start in the lymph glands, and the symptoms include swelling in the neck, armpit, groin, chest and abdomen – all regions where the lymph glands are located.
3. Shortness of breath
According to the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, shortness of breath could be a sign of childhood leukemia, which accounts for almost 40% of all childhood cancers in Singapore.
4. Behavioral changes
Pay attention if you notice that your child is behaving unusually, as this could be a sign that something isn’t right.
According to the Children’s Medical Institute of the National University Hospital, this could be a sign of cancer, along with changes in personality and school performance.
5. Vision problems
The NCCS adds vision problems such as blurring, double vision or loss of vision as a possible indicator of a brain tumour.
If your child is showing signs of difficulty in sight, it may be time to consult with a specialist to rule out the possibility of cancer.
Check out the emotional marriage video of the two toddlers with leukemia.
Also read: Stock up on these 15 cancer fighting foods for kids
Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore