From beggar to doctor: Cerebral palsy patient defies odds

Li Chuangye of Henan Province developed cerebral palsy at age one due to delayed treatment for polio, which left him with a lifelong limp and impaired motor functions.

After an unsuccessful surgery at age nine, he sought ways to support his family. A man approached Li's family offering him a job at the time, only to deceive them, forcing Li into a begging ring from ages 9 to 16, where he earned just about 100 yuan (US$14) per month, the South China Morning Post reported.

When the ring deemed him "too old to elicit sympathy" and released him at 16, Li realized he was completely illiterate, not even able to read a newspaper. This moment sparked his determination to change his life through education.

He began elementary school at 16 and steadily progressed.

Li told Beijing Youth Daily that during high school, kind classmates offered help, but he rarely accepted it, feeling embarrassed to rely on others. "I believed classmates came to school to learn, not to take care of me," he said.

"Because I am ill and my family is impoverished, I dreamed of becoming a doctor to help others," Li shared.

Driven by this goal, he studied diligently and was admitted to a medical college in 2013 at age 25.

He volunteered as a cerebral palsy case study for his classmates and pledged to donate his body to medical research after his death.

After graduating in 2019 at age 31, Li briefly worked as a medical editor but soon resigned to pursue clinical practice. He interned at a community clinic in Henan while preparing for his licensing exams.

Li's mentor, Dr. He, praised his dedication: "Li is very diligent. He carefully studies every medical skill and learns quickly. Despite physical challenges, he works hard to overcome difficulties," Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Beyond medicine, Li is passionate about mountain climbing to inspire other disabled individuals and shared those video on Chinese Tiktok platform Douyin.

In 2016, he climbed six famous peaks in China, including the Five Great Mountains and Huangshan, in just 17 days. Standing only 80 cm tall, he wore out six pairs of shoes, 12 pairs of pants, and 16 pairs of gloves.