Twin brothers were made to draw paper slips in their hospital bed in Chongqing, China. Photo / China Charities Aid Foundation for Children
A desperate Chinese couple were forced to get their sick twin sons to draw paper slips to decide which one they would save because they couldn't afford to treat both.
The 10-month-old siblings were both diagnosed with a rare immune disease called CGD and are not expected to live past the age of two, according to a newspaper.
The couple were told by doctors that each of their babies would need a transplant to survive, and the two operations could cost an astronomical one million yuan (NZ$220,000). the Daily Mail reports.
And that was when the devastated family resorted to the extreme measure to decide which of their son they would keep with two paper slips.
Luckily, a major Chinese charity has learnt about the family's story and is helping them raise funds to save both of their babies.
The two boys, nicknamed "Healthy" and "Happy" by their parents, were born last October in Shaoguan's Shixing County in southern China's Guangdong Province, reported Shaoguan Daily.
Their arrival brought much happiness to their father Qiu Boqin and their mother Deng Baoling, as well as their grandparents who are farmers.
However, the family's life was turned upside down just one month after the birth of the twins.
According to the report, one night last November, the elder brother '"Healthy" suddenly experienced difficulties in breathing and was rushed to the hospital.
As "Healthy" was in intensive care, his younger brother "Happy" - who was staying at home with their grandmother - experienced the same symptoms. 'Happy' was taken to the same hospital.
The two brothers stayed in the intensive care unit for nine days before being transferred to an ordinary ward. Both of them were diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD).
CGD is an inherited primary immunodeficiency disease (PIDD), which means part of the body's immune system is missing or functions improperly.
The condition increases the body's susceptibility to infections caused by certain bacteria and fungi. It is diagnosed in one in 500,000 people every year.
Due to their condition, even a mild infection curable with antibiotics in healthy people could kill "Healthy" and "Happy".
Mr Qiu and Ms Deng were told by doctors that the two boys would have to undergo a transplant each in order to live past the age of two.
The couple immediately contacted the China Marrow Donor Program under the Red Cross Society, which manages the recruitment of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) donors.
In February, Mr Qiu and Ms Deng transferred their twins to a hospital in Chongqing, which is renowned for treating CGD while waiting to hear about the result of the donors.
Although CGD can be cured with a bone marrow transplant, the process is complicated and it can be difficult to find a donor who is a perfect match.
The China Marrow Donor Program informed the couple that they had found matching donors who were willing to help their children.
But the couple were once again thrown into despair when doctors told them the medical bills for each transplant could amount to some 500,000 yuan (NZ$110,000).
According to Shaoguan Daily, Mr Qiu and Ms Deng had spent some 400,000 yuan (NZ$87,600) treating their sons. After they asked among their friends and relatives, the most money they could borrow would only be enough to treat one child.
The report said that the couple were so desperate they made the two boys draw lots in their hospital bed to decide which one they would save. They prepared two pieces of paper, one saying "keep" and the other blank.
It is claimed that the couple did so when the twins' grandmother went out so that she couldn't oppose to the idea. The elder brother got the paper saying "keep".
But when their grandmother returned and saw "Healthy" holding the lot, she was furious and scolded the couple, who knelt in front of her and their sons to apologise.
The grandmother insisted the family should find all possible ways to save both twins.
Fortunately, the China Charities Aid Foundation for Children has learned about the twins' illness and reach out to the family.
"God didn't give up on my twins," Their father Mr Qiu was quoted saying by Shaoguan Daily.
"Volunteers from the China Charities Aid Foundation for Children have verified our situation from the hospital and started a fund-raising campaign on the internet. The donors have also agreed to undergo the transplant soon," Mr Qiu added.
According to the fund-raising page by the Foundation, the project aims to raise 900,000 yuan (NZ$197,000) for "Healthy" and "Happy". The funds will be used on the twins' treatment as well as their life necessities during the process.
The campaign has raised 785,171 yuan ($172,004) from 24,127 people so far.