A 24-year-old cancer patient in Foshan, China, battling loneliness during her treatment, used a meal delivery service to request two hours of companionship. This unusual order prompted an outpouring of goodwill, with numerous delivery riders volunteering to visit and support her.
A simple request for companionship resulted in an unexpected outpouring of goodwill for a 24-year-old cancer patient in Foshan, China, who has captured hearts on social media. “Little Li” utilised a meal delivery service to ask for only two hours of company while battling a rare blood cancer in order to lessen the loneliness of her treatment. What began as a straightforward yet unique order evolved into a string of visits from delivery personnel who volunteered to provide consolation and assistance.
According to a report in the South China Morning Post, Li has had to deal with her treatment journey mostly alone because her brother is occupied with an internship and her father works overseas to pay medical expenditures. She placed an odd order on a meal delivery service after her fourth round of chemotherapy, requesting a rider to only “sit by my bedside for two hours” due to her extreme loneliness.
Following the initial delivery rider’s fulfilment of the uncommon request, he told the local rider club about it, which sparked a wave of generosity that demonstrated humanity’s positive aspects. After their shifts, other riders started paying Li visits, frequently carrying books, toys, and refreshments.
Some brought items such as milk, snacks, stuffed toys and books. Others chose to spend time talking with her, with a few reportedly adjusting their schedules to visit.
“Li does not have any family with her all the time. I felt sympathy and empathy, so I wanted to visit her,” one of the riders told the outlet.
Her story reached other corners of the country as well, with Huang, a rider from Guangzhou, travelling three hours to come and comfort Li. “I once had gracious patrons who greeted me and handed me water. I now wish to assist people in return,” Huang continued.
Wang, a 60-year-old cancer survivor, also sent flowers and talked about her resilience. Since then, Li’s condition has stabilised and she was discharged from the hospital on April 20. She is now awaiting the next step in her treatment.