Because of the lack of money for a surgery, a man was forced to live with a rare anomaly for 24 years.
Huang Rongming from the province of Henan had lived for 24 years with his heart on the top of the abdomen. The pathology was congenital. According to statistics, five babies in a million suffer from it, and most of the babies die quickly. Huang survived, though it was not easy. After walking for 10 minutes, he used to choke and became blue. Even the smallest trauma of the heart that was not protected by the ribs and bulged from the abdominal cavity could result in death.
At 14, Huang began to work as a factory packer. When coming to work, he put on a few T-shirts to hide the unique peculiarity of his body. He had lived in such a way for 10 years, until he was taken to hospital earlier this year because of deteriorating health.
Cardiac surgeons were amazed that Huang was still alive, and said that he needed an emergent surgery. The young man did not have the money (200,000 yuan, or about $32,500), but he was helped to raise it over six days after his story had been published in several newspapers.
Huang Rongming says he is happy because it is his ultimate dream to live a normal life like any other person.
