Everyday heroes: The love ALS couldn't beat

Liu Jijun has been living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for more than 19 years, far surpassing the average survival time of three to five years for ALS patients.

ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, gradually robbed Liu of his ability to eat, walk and speak within just three and a half years of his diagnosis. As his symptoms worsened, Liu underwent a tracheostomy, and his wife, Wang Jinhuan, became his full-time carer. Initially unfamiliar with the disease, even struggling to remember its name, Wang now manages every aspect of Liu's daily life.

Through years of self-learning and hands-on experience, Wang has become as knowledgeable as a qualified nurse. Together with Liu, she founded China's first ALS patient organization, the Oriental Rain ALS Care Center (ORACC). She also co-authored China's first ALS rehabilitation manual alongside Professor Fan Dongsheng, a leading expert in ALS treatment in China.

Liu and Wang met when they were both sixteen and have been inseparable ever since – through sickness and health, fulfilling their lifelong pledge to love each other. Today, the charity they co-founded has supported more than 4,000 ALS patients and brought hope to thousands of families affected by this rare disease.

(All photos show Wang Jinhuan and Liu Jijiun, Beijing, China. /CGTN)

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Health Talk ALS Special: Everyday Heroes

The inspiring life of an ALS fighter

A doctor, a persistent pioneer in ALS research