People in Beijing posted pictures of the Great Wall on social media to help Dorian Murray, an 8-year-old cancer patient in the U.S., realize his dream of becoming famous in China.
In response to a Facebook post Murray's father wrote on Monday, many people shared photos of themselves standing on the Great Wall holding signs that read "#D-STRONG."
Murray was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of pediatric cancer, when he was 4 years old. He went into remission in 2013 but later relapsed. Cancerous cells were found in his spinal fluid in December, and his family made the decision to stop treatment after January 1, news site china.com.cn reported on Wednesday.
The boy's story aroused attention in China when his father posted a conversation with his son on his Facebook page. According to the post, the boy said, "Hey dad, you know what I really want before I go to heaven? I would like to be famous in China … because they have the bridge," referring to the Great Wall.
This post had been shared over 3,600 times as of press time after being reposted on Praying for Dorian, a Facebook page dedicated to supporting the boy's battle to overcome cancer. By Wednesday, over 1,295 people from all around the world had posted their pictures holding #D-STRONG signs to support Dorian.
Many people have also used Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo to reach out to those planning to visit the Great Wall, asking them to take a #D-STRONG picture.
