Yufen Yang's Leukemia Treatment

Dear Friends and Kind Strangers,

My name is Lingyan and today I must ask for your support, driven by an unfortunate circumstance that has befallen my beloved younger sister, Yang Yufen.

A few days ago, we received devastating news: Yufen, only 18 years old, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). Since her diagnosis, our lives have been a whirlwind of hospital talks, doctors' appointments, and trying to coordinate with friends and family half a world away. We've been working tirelessly to secure her a bed in a hospital for immediate treatment.

With Yufen's diagnosis, my husband and I have decided to put off our home purchase, redirecting our savings toward her cancer treatment. We had also postponed our wedding ceremony due to the pandemic, hoping to celebrate it later this year with all our loved ones, especially Yufen. Without treatment, the doctors have warned us that she may not make it till then.

Now, I want to share with you Yufen's story; she penned the following letter herself to reach out for help (which I translated from Chinese). I hope you take a moment to read it, understand our situation, and if possible, contribute to our cause.

With sincere thanks,

Lingyan

"""

Dear kind-hearted souls,

It is sad that this is the way I must make my first connection with you. With sincere hope, I write this plea for help and humbly request that you read my story and consider lending me your support.

My name is Yang Yufen and I just celebrated my 18th birthday this year before being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The enormity of this blow has left me reeling, and the high cost of the ensuing treatment has been daunting. With no other recourse, I reach out to the kindness of strangers for help.

I come from a poor rural family where both my parents work our land to make ends meet. My father was diagnosed with uremia eight years ago and has been surviving on hemodialysis since then. My mother suffered a stroke three years ago resulting in cerebral infarction. My grandmother, a centenarian, requires constant care. Our limited income was barely able to cover our existing considerable expenses.

Aware of our financial predicament, I've always believed that my path to changing our circumstances lies in hard work and good education. I am currently attending Nanjing Jinken Vocational and Technical College and live in Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province. I began my college journey in 2022 with the aim to start working early, help alleviate some of the familial financial stress, and shoulder some of our responsibilities.

However, just as I thought life was beginning to fall into place, this unforeseen cancer diagnosis has cast a shadow over the future. In mid-May 2023, I began to experience fatigue and fever. My white blood cell and neutrophil counts were abnormal, leading to a bone marrow biopsy. The final diagnosis was heart-wrenching: acute myeloid leukemia, hepatic calcification, pulmonary nodules, and sinus tachycardia.

The diagnosis left me in a state of despair. Days turned into a blur of tears and endless online research about my condition. I could not believe that at the tender age of 18, I was staring at the possibility of my life ending prematurely. I lost hope, lost faith in the future, and felt like a burden to my family.

However, amid the gloom, the doctors, nurses, and my family provided me with immense emotional support. Their words of encouragement and reassurance have been like beacons of light, guiding me towards hope. Their faith in my resilience gave me the strength to endure the pain of bone marrow puncture and chemotherapy.

Unfortunately, mounting hospital bills threaten to put us under enormous financial stress. The cost for the upcoming rounds of chemotherapy and a potential bone marrow transplant are astronomically high for my family. The question of how we could possibly afford this looms large in my mind.

I yearn for the chance to continue my life. There are so many things I've yet to accomplish: I haven't been able to take care of my family, repay my parents, or express my gratitude to all the kind souls who have helped me.

I have always tried not to impose on others, but this predicament is beyond the capacity of me and my family. We urgently need your assistance. If I am fortunate enough to recover, I pledge to pay it forward by dedicating myself to causes of love and kindness.

To all the good-hearted people out there, I wish you a safe life and blessings in abundance. May health and happiness grace your households. Thank you for considering my plea.

"""