Seven hundred and fifty-eight patients with paraplegia are still alive 45 years after the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed over 240,000 people, severely injured 160,000, and paralyzed 3,817, according to Yang Zhensheng, president of Tangshan Paraplegia Sanatorium in north China's Hebei Province.

Yang gave the figure when asked by a reporter on the status of paralyzed people in the sanatorium on Monday's Deputies' Corridor during the Fourth Session of the 13th National People's Congress.

He said that after the earthquake, many international medical experts predicted that these paralyzed people would live no longer than 15 years. But until now, more than 40 years have passed; these paraplegics are still alive with their courage and love for life, as well as support from society.

In 1979, the local government set up Tangshan Paraplegia Sanatorium to help those who became paralyzed after the earthquake.

According to Yang, though those people are disabled, they tried their best to live a better life. For example, there are two world champions of the Paralympic Games in the center, winning over 58 gold medals for China.