Students from the Tianjin Jinnan Boneng Rehabilitation Medical Center stage a performance during an event in Tianjin last month.
A groundbreaking rehabilitation program in northern China is dramatically changing lives, successfully integrating over 100 children with cerebral palsy into mainstream and special education—and it’s doing so with a “zero-cost” model. This innovative approach demonstrates that access to vital therapy shouldn’t be a privilege, but a right.
Breaking the Cycle: Free Therapy Transforms Lives in China
A unique program in Tianjin is providing free rehabilitation and education to children with cerebral palsy, offering a pathway out of poverty and towards a brighter future.
- The Tianjin Jinnan Boneng Rehabilitation Medical Center has provided 390,000 free therapy sessions to 394 children since its founding.
- 112 children—nearly a third of those treated—have been successfully enrolled in school.
- The center addresses the financial burden of long-term disability care, where a single 30-minute session can cost $6.
- Entrepreneur Jia Xiufang has invested $12.4 million to establish four centers across Tianjin and Heilongjiang province.
- The program emphasizes both physical rehabilitation and education, believing both are essential for a dignified future.
The Tianjin Jinnan Boneng Rehabilitation Medical Center recently celebrated its ninth anniversary, marking a significant milestone: 390,000 free therapy sessions delivered to 394 children. Remarkably, 112 of these children—almost a third—have transitioned into mainstream or special education schools, a feat previously considered unattainable for many families.
The center was founded by Jia Xiufang, a local entrepreneur who recognized a critical gap in healthcare access. “I decided to build a free rehabilitation hospital because I saw families breaking down under the pressure,” Jia explained, having personally invested nearly 90 million yuan ($12.4 million) to establish four such centers across Tianjin and Heilongjiang province since 2017.
The impetus for this project stemmed from a chance encounter with children living with cerebral palsy over a decade ago. Jia realized the immense financial strain placed on families, particularly in rural and low-income communities. In China, a single 30-minute rehabilitation session can cost 40 yuan ($6), a substantial sum for those already struggling financially.
Hua Yinan, the center’s first rehabilitation therapist, was drawn to the project after meeting Jia through charitable work. Despite having a well-compensated position elsewhere, she chose to join the center after witnessing the heartfelt hopes of the parents.
“Here, everything is free,” Hua said. “That changes the atmosphere completely. Parents are less anxious, therapists can slow down, and the children are treated with patience and care. It feels more like a home than a hospital.”
The center boasts a comprehensive team of occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech specialists, alongside counseling rooms, rehabilitation facilities, and dedicated classrooms. Initially, staffing shortages required therapists to be brought in from other provinces.
“Later, we thought, why not establish our own rehabilitation major?” Hua recalled. “This way, we can train our own talent.”
In 2019, the Rehabilitation College was established at a local vocational institute, offering six medical technology majors, including rehabilitation therapy, speech and hearing rehabilitation, and rehabilitation nursing. Currently, over 30 full-time therapists work at the Tianjin center, supplemented by students from the vocational institute completing their required internships.
The impact on families has been profound. Du Haoming, one of the center’s earliest participants, arrived with significant speech and visual impairments, rarely speaking. Through dedicated pronunciation exercises, he has made remarkable progress and is now studying new energy vehicle technology at a technical school.
His grandmother, Wu Xiuqin, expressed immense gratitude, stating, “The center saved our family. He went from being unable to stand to walking with assistive devices, and now he’s in school.”
Beyond physical rehabilitation, the center prioritizes education, providing small-group lessons to prepare children for school life, fostering a balance between recovery and learning.
“We don’t believe rehabilitation alone is enough,” Jia emphasized. “Education gives these children dignity and a future.”
Jia has also launched a charity clothing project, redistributing donated clothes to impoverished families while simultaneously creating employment opportunities for over 40 parents of children receiving treatment at the center.
For Du Haoming, now a budding automotive technician, the future is bright. “I want to build my own career,” he said. “Then help others, just like I was helped.”
