Cash appeal for leukemia victim hits 0.5m yuan

An online fundraising drive, launched Monday to raise money for 23-year-old leukemia sufferer Lu Ruoqing, has collected more than 550,000 yuan ($86,625) in one day.

The initiative was co-launched by microbloggers Xue Manzi and Zhang Ligang and the China Youth Development Foundation on a Sina Weibo charity account.

Xue and Zhang, who visited Lu Monday at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Xicheng district, persuaded Lu and her family to accept the donation.

Lu, from Qingdao, Shandong Province, was diagnosed with leukemia in January, and was admitted to Peking Union last Wednesday after her condition deteriorated.

Duan Minghui, Lu's doctor, said the medical fees for the first year will be at least 400,000 yuan.

To ensure there are enough funds for ongoing treatment, the fund is capped at 1 million yuan, Xue said on his microblog. "The rest of the money can be for rehabilitation," said Xue.

Despite finding that her brother's bone marrow was a match in March, Lu had decided to halt her treatment, judging the cost would be too much for her parents to bear.

In mid-April, Lu began posting details of her physical situation and her feelings on her microblog. Her good humor and optimism gained her thousands of followers.　

He Yongqiang, from the China Youth Development Foundation, said the money can only be released when the target has been reached.　

"Judging from the current donation speed, the targeted amount will be achieved very soon," He said, adding it will be publicly supervised.

"According to donors' preferences, we'll publish their names, contribution and hospital receipts," He said.