Finding friendship through hardship

Updated: 2014-04-09 07:17

By Liu Zhihua (China Daily)

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March 27 was a special day for Beijing resident Zhang Jun.

She ate her lunch earlier than usual on that day, before taking a one-and-a-half-hour journey on the subway to the China-Japan Friendship Hospital.

She was to attend the Pink Ribbon Club, an event for breast-cancer patients that the hospital has held twice a year since 2007. It is one of the largest of its kind in Beijing.

Zhang, 56, was diagnosed with the disease in 2008, shortly after she retired.

In 2010, she heard about the club from another patient and has never missed the activity since then.

"My son often jokes that I go to the group meetings as if that is my job," Zhang says.

"It is true. Those activities are very important to my life now."

As cancer rates rise in China, hospitals and health associations have organized many activities to help patients and their families cope with the situation.

"Cancer patients often live under great pressure, either due to fear of relapse, or because cancer changes their lives and brings about financial stress," says Wan Donggui, a breast cancer specialist with China-Japan Friendship Hospital and initiator of the Pink Ribbon Club.

"Such mental stress is very bad for their health and recovery. They need to be diverted from constantly thinking about cancer."

Wang Shuqin, 59, often sings for fellow patients in such group activities.

She takes part in several cancer-patient groups, including those organized by the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association and Peking University People's Hospital.

"I thought my life was doomed when I was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago," Wang says. "Now I've learned to get the most out of life and enjoy my time when I can."

Group activities keep her occupied and fulfilled. Some groups are designed for survivors to share successful treatment experiences, while others are to help educate patients. Others are simply to get patients together to have an enjoyable time, Wang says.

She has made a lot of good friends through such groups, and they travel together often.

"It is bad to have cancer, but it is good to have friends who care about and understand you," Wang says.

liuzhihua@chinadaily.com.cn

 Finding friendship through hardship

A charity walk is held in Chaoyang Park in Beijing to raise public awareness of breast cancer. Provided to China Daily

(China Daily USA 04/09/2014 page10)

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