Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is a fatal infectious disease without a cure. Many children are born with the disease, with it being transmitted from their infected mothers. These children often grow up alone and face discrimination, but one doctor in north China's Shanxi Province quit his job to help, becoming a father to AIDS orphans.

He is 58-year-old Guo Xiaoping, a doctor specializing in infectious disease in the city of Linfen of Shanxi. Seventeen years ago, he started helping children battling HIV.

These kids were born with HIV, the disease transmitted from their infected mothers. They were later orphaned when their parents sadly died of AIDS.

"If you hadn't helped them, they would have been facing a life-or-death situation. We can't save everyone, but we try to save as many as possible," said Guo.

Most of these kids' parents were Guo's patients. They died of AIDS, leaving their infected children in the care of his hospital. None of their other relatives were willing to take care of them.

Guo was the head of the local infectious disease hospital. He decided to take care of these orphans. As the number of them grew, in 2006, Guo transformed an unused inpatient area into a school, providing free education, medical treatment and accommodation. And that's the Red Ribbon School.

The school started to accept AIDS orphans from across the country. Guo recalls how bad the children's situation was before they arrived.

"One child was about three years old, and her brother was about six. Their mother died and the father was gone. The brother had been taking care of his sister. They had little food and no medicine. Both of them had never even had a bath. Their skin was largely ulcerated due to infection. We rushed them to the hospital for medical treatment," said Guo.

The Red Ribbon School is the first and only organization of its kind in China, now caring for around 30 children. In 2011, the school was integrated into the national compulsory education system.

Some of the teachers here used to be AIDS orphans themselves, who grew up and studied at the school. After graduating from college, they chose to come back here and work. Two doctors and nurses also work in the school full time, to provide regular medical advice and treatment.

Later Guo made a surprising decision. He quit his positions in three major hospitals to spend more time taking care of his students.

"Of course, there was sympathy, but more is about emotion. I have been with these children for many years," he revealed. "An inseparable emotional bond was built between us. So, this decision actually was quite normal for me."

What Guo emphasizes most for students is that they regularly take their medicine. "Following your medication regime keeps you alive," he told his students. "You can't skip taking their meds, not even once. If you don't keep at it, the virus will mutate, and you will have to change medicines."

"Medicine is like a daily meal for them. But while meals can be delayed, taking medicine cannot," he explained.

Guo has been closely observing the students' health conditions and striving to secure better medicines with less side effects.

It's hard to define the role he plays, a school head, a doctor, a friend, or a parent, but it's a role that is irreplaceable.

One of his students said Uncle Guo is a very important person to him, and he wanted to say thank you to him. Another girl said he's like a parent who cares for them very much. And a boy said he's just like a father.

Guo believes the school should care for students' health and prepare them for a better future. The school provides primary and secondary education. So far, about twenty students have graduated. Fifteen have even been admitted to universities.

I didn't expect they could live until this age, not to mention finish their secondary education and go to college," he said. "I think the country's development and its free medical treatment have all contributed to their success."

Before the school gained support from governmental and social funds, Guo spent his own money on necessities for the children. As a member of the Communist Party of China, he believes it's his duty to help these kids.

"From the time you hold up your hand and take the oath, you have many duties to fulfill. What I did to help these children is just one of these duties," he said.

The local government gives 1.2 million yuan in funding to the school each year. This is apart from the financial support provided by private individuals.

However, Guo's biggest wish is that one day there will be no more AIDS orphans and that he can close the school knowing everything will be alright.