Young painter who suffers from uremia helps autistic children by selling paintings

In a ward of the West China Hospital, painter Luo Jie lies in bed with a pale face. Two months ago, she was diagnosed with uremia and fell into a dark world.

Luo Jie was born in 1981 in Leshan City, southwest China's Sichuan province. White and clear-skinned, her large eyes made her a beautiful girl in the eyes of her neighbors. But fate played a trick on her. At the age of two Luo suffered from a congenital heart disease and was treated in the hospital for several years.

When other children played, sang songs and studied at kindergarten, Luo Jie enjoyed her little world by drawing pictures in hospital. Teachers were surprised that Luo always had a good academic performance even though she spent long periods in hospital.

Unfortunately, Luo had to miss the College Entrance Examination due to her deteriorating health and was sent to the emergency department.

After confronting death on several occasions, Luo Jie still kept her strong will to live. She participated in the Adult College Entrance of Exam and realized her dream to study at university like other people. And she joined the volunteer group and helped autistic children by selling paintings when she studied at the Southwest Jiaotong University and graduated from the school.

Now thinking of uremia, Luo always felt helpless in the night. "I don't care about that if I am poor, I only want to be healthy and to live a normal life, playing football, running, travelling, working and loving like others," Luo told her mother.

"Sometimes I want to give up. But I am really reluctant to leave the world. There are so many beautiful parts to my life. I don't know what will happen tomorrow. What I want to do is keep smiling," said Luo.