China’s ‘folded man’ finds happiness and hope after life-changing surgery
- Li Hua has been living with a rare autoimmune disease for decades that eventually left his upper body completely bent over
- After seeing numerous doctors, he finally found a specialist in Shenzhen who could help him
China’s “folded man” Li Hua has a rare condition that left him with a severely deformed spine. In the first of a three-part series, we look at what life was like for Li before a team of doctors in Shenzhen helped him to stand straight again.
On an autumn morning in rural Hunan province, a villager sits outside his home soaking up the sunshine. After a while the 47-year-old slowly stands up and makes his way inside with the aid of a walking frame. He eases himself onto a seat by the counter and scrolls through the news on his phone.
It may sound pretty ordinary, but for Li Hua all of this has been impossible for years.
Li has an autoimmune disease called ankylosing spondylitis that started when he was 18. It can cause bones to fuse, making the spine curve forward. His condition worsened over time until he was completely bent over, with three parts of his body “connected” – his chin to his chest, his breastbone to his pubic bone, and his face to his thighs.
Eventually it got so bad that he could no longer straighten his body, he could not raise his head, and he could not lie down flat. Li relied on his mother for round-the-clock care.
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‘Folded man’ stands up straight after 28 years following surgery that broke bones
Last year, everything changed after he underwent four complicated operations at Shenzhen University General Hospital – the first time this surgery has been done successfully in China.
