A Chinese medical equipment manufacturer donated a total of 1,000 therapy devices worth 1.6 million yuan (U.S. $258,000) to treat children with cerebral palsy on May 7.

The devices were given by Beijing Dongfang Mingkang Medical Equipment Corporation Limited and mirror those widely used in more than 200 domestic rehabilitative medical institutes. Distribution work will be organized by the China Foundation for Disable Persons (CFDP).

Cerebral palsy is a common movement disorder affecting the muscles. It appears in early childhood and is caused by abnormal development or damage to parts of the brain, said Xu Xiaoning, the CFDP vice-president.

The incidence of cerebral palsy is 2 per 1,000 in developed countries and slightly less at 1.96 per 1,000 in China, added Xu.

Statistics from the CFDP shows that China has about 1.75 million patients with cerebral palsy nationwide, while patients aged 0-6 years amounted to 310,000, with numbers currently increasing at a rate of around 46,000 each year.

There is no cure for cerebral palsy; however, supportive treatments, medications, and surgery may help many individuals to have near-normal adult lives.

The 1,000 donations will be distributed by the foundation to rehabilitative medial institutes, rehabilitation departments of comprehensive hospitals, welfare institutes that receive disabled children, as well as poverty-stricken families with cerebral palsy children.

(Source: Beijing Youth Daily/Translated and edited by Women of China)