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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