“Hello, Mr. Wang, a child in my care has an eye problem. Could you please help her?” a Chunhui mama called Philip Wang, a staff member of Beijing CCH.

Philip receives such calls from welfare institutions every day, some inquiring about medical resources, and some others requesting urgent medical treatment for the children under their care. The children that need help are all abandoned because of their special needs. Welfare institutions are their stable shelters. Programs like Chunhui Mama and Chunhui Care Home (CCH) are set up in the institutions to help them. CCH is operated in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to facilitate urgent medical treatment for orphaned children from welfare institutions across the country.

“My name is Qi Min. I’m a Chunhui mama. One of my foster daughters was once adopted but later returned to the institution because of her eye problem. She is smart and healthy except for her eyes. I called CCH to see if it can help her.” 

Mama Qi has been working in the welfare institution for seven years and she knows Chunhui Children operates CCH for orphaned children afflicted with life-threatening diseases. In all these years, she has seen children of her institution taken to Beijing and Shanghai one after another for their much-needed surgeries. When these children recover and return to the institution, they seem transformed. She would rest assured if CCH could admit Huanhuan, said mama Qi.

Not long after that call, Huanhuan arrived at Beijing CCH in this mid-summer.

What did the girl go through in Beijing. How is she now? Let’s take a look at her story.

Among all the children under her care, mama Qi is concerned the most about Huanhuan. The girl was premature. The day she was born, she weighed only 2-3 pounds. The fragile little baby stayed in the incubator for months before she was taken to the welfare institution. The first sight of Huanhuan, who weighed only 4-5 pounds then, will be stashed permanently in the corner of mama Qi’s memory.

Mama Qi was so stunned by the delicate baby, who was wrapped in a blankie and seemed to have very faint breath, that she covered her mouth with her hand. She said: “I have never seen a baby so tiny. You could underprop her with one hand and one arm. She was like Thumbelina, a character in one of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales.” 

The first words she said to the baby were: “Don’t be afraid. Mama will take you home.” From that day on, Huanhuan has become mama Qi’s adored princess.

This unfortunate but tough little life survived and thrived under mama Qi’s loving care. You could see happiness in the little girl’s big smiles and bright eyes. Since the program was set up, Chunhui families have served 3809 orphaned children.

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This April, news came that Huanhuan would be adopted. The moment she heard the news, mama Qi was dumbfounded and had no idea how to face it. Was it great? Was it too early? She wasn’t prepared to part with the girl yet.

On her way back home that day, mama Qi paced up and down along the road, trying to calm herself down. Huanhuan would have her own mama and dad soon. What a blessing for her! Mama Qi told herself to accept the truth and support the girl through her adoption.

When she finally got back home, mama Qi began to choke with sobs. Learning that Huanhuan was about to leave them, mama Qi’s husband fell silent and, since that day, he stayed alone in his room for long moments every day. Mama Qi knew that her husband was weeping quietly.

Time flied. The day of separation came soon. That day, Huanhuan spent quite some time with her new parents, but when she learned that she would be taken away by them, she burst into tears and refused to leave mama Qi. Mama Qi stayed by the institution’s gate, speechless and teary-eyed.

Back at home, mama Qi realized that Huanhuan had left. She regretted that she didn’t give the girl’s new parents enough advice about how to care for her. And she began to worry that the girl might not fit into her new family.

In the following three months, mama Qi’s husband and other foster children all gave her tender care. Their younger son Chao often massaged her back to relieve her fatigue and praised her from time to time. The older son said to her: “Mama, Huanhuan has left. But you still have us. We will all help around the house.”

Her husband gave her enough support too. They stood by each other and grew closer together.

But when the family finally got through the “tough” days and was prepared to move on, Huanhuan was returned to the institution.

After joining her new family, Huanhuan had a thorough physical check and was found to have nystagmus, a condition that might affect her vision.

The afternoon she returned to the institution, Huanhuan sat in an office chair alone. The moment mama Qi walked into the office, she threw herself into her arms and burst out crying. Mama Qi couldn’t help crying too.

“Don’t be afraid. Mama will take you home.” Mama Qi said these words again, five years after she first saw her.

Ever since Huanhuan returned to the family, everyone avoided talking about her experiences in her adoptive family. It was glaring apparent that the girl was hurt. She stayed silent most of the time and burst into tears now and then. Mama Qi decided her top priority was to address the girl’s eye problem.

She blamed herself that she had never found Huanhuan’s eye problem before. One week after Huanhuan returned, she called CCH. Then Huanhuan was taken to Beijing for medical treatment.

Mama Qi asked herself these questions again and again. One month had passed since Huanhuan went to Beijing but she still worried about her. Finally, she was glad to receive a call from CCH, reassuring her that Huanhuan was fine.

Huanhuan’s eyes have no big problems. Her nystagmus is congenital and only occurs under strong light. A pair of customized glasses and good eye care habits will prevent her vision from worsening quickly.

When she stayed at Beijing CCH, Chunhui mamas worked to build up her confidence and she became their little star. “Huanhuan likes drawing. She is cheerful, talkative, and often helps us care for the younger children,” said the mamas.

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Mama Qi anxiously waited for Huanhuan’s return every day. She and her husband give Huanhuan a stable loving family and they will always be there for her.

In the past five years, like Thumbelina, Huanhuan went through a lot of ups and downs. But we believe showered with love she will continue to blossom. Wish her good health and a happy life.

 About Nystagmus

Nystagmus is a condition where your eyes make rapid, repetitive, uncontrolled movements. Your eyes may move in horizontal (the most common), vertical or rotary directions. Nystagmus could indicate another eye problem, a neurological condition or a problem with the parts of your inner ear that control balance and coordination.