OPTIMISTIC AND POSITIVE: Huang Cuiping (second right) and other cancer survivors who volunteer with the Shanghai East Hospital take a lunch break on March 2 (PEI XIN)

Huang Cuiping spends two days a week at the Shanghai East Hospital. Despite the time she commits to the hospital, she is neither a patient nor a medical worker. Rather, Huang is a volunteer who has devoted herself to looking after cancer patients.

Huang, 58 years old, is a cancer survivor herself. When she was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 1995, she was almost crushed by the bad news. Her family, doctors and nurses comforted her, took care of her and gave her hope. After a successful operation, she gradually regained her health. Having gone through the experience of protracted cancer treatment, she decided to work as a volunteer in order to support other cancer patients. She is particularly keen on providing psychological support to patients who often suffer from depression following their diagnosis.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in urban China and the second most common cause of death in the country's rural areas. It caused 25 percent of all deaths in cities and 21 percent in the countryside, according to the third and latest National Sample Survey of Cause of Death released by the Ministry of Health in April 2008.

While advances have been made in cancer treatment in recent years, with survival rates improving significantly, many people still tend to consider it a death sentence. Hence, it often causes fear and depression. These negative feelings further weaken patients' bodies and reduce their quality of life.

Researchers with the Institute of Psychology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted studies on breast cancer patients and found that psychological stimuli can boost patients' mood and immune system.

As part of its efforts to improve the psychological well-being of its patients, the Shanghai East Hospital began to recruit volunteers like Huang in 2001, because volunteers often prove better at assuaging patients' fears than medical workers. Huang is among the first people to participate in the program.

"After becoming a volunteer, I met many cancer sufferers, who have become my friends as we have been through the same things," Huang said.

A sad goodbye

As a cancer volunteer, sometimes Huang has to face the loss of her fellow cancer sufferers. She still could not hold back her tears when talking about a woman surnamed Yu, who passed away not long ago.

Yu was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Huang first met Yu when the latter came to the Shanghai East Hospital for chemotherapy. Yu was in a very low spirit at that time, and often talked about death.

"I went to the hospital to visit her two to three times a week, chatting with her and sharing my own experience with her. I told her that she should actively receive treatment and bravely confront the disease," Huang said.

As time went, Huang and Yu became good friends. Without any family member living with her, Yu was lonely and helpless. Huang often accompanied Yu to take walk in park, and did other exercises with her.