China Earthquake Survivors Look To Future

CBS Evening News: An Estimated 50,000 Victims Missing Limbs Face Uncertainty With Grim Determination

(CBS)  Jiang Jiarui is a fighter. The 10-year-old quickly recovered after losing a leg in China's devastating Sichuan earthquake. But now - finally - she's going back to school and she's trying her best to be brave, CBS News correspondent Celia Hatton reports.

"While the other kids were catching up in class, I was stuck in the rehab center," she explains through a translator.

But when Jiang arrives, she's relieved to spot a few familiar faces. Only a quarter of her classmates made it out of their school alive.

High school senior Zhao Chunling is also starting fresh. She's working double-time to keep up after losing her hand in the quake, though she refuses to complain.

"The boy trapped beneath me used his arms to dig me out of the rubble, but he didn't survive," she says through a translator. "I think about him constantly."

May's quake claimed 80,000 lives, but it also left an estimated 50,000 people dealing with serious injuries.

Survivors considered themselves lucky to be pulled alive from the quake's wreckage … but when the joy subsided, the reality of being disabled set in.

The Chinese government extended free medical care to quake victims, leaving the hospital system stretched to the max.

CBS News met He Chuan Tao days after she was pulled out of the remains of the factory where she worked as a chemist. Back then, she lost both her legs, but was just amazed to be breathing.

But months later, Tao's literally at a standstill. Her doctors say the prosthetic legs issued by the government are too heavy for her, and her poor farming family can't afford the lightweight kind she knows are made in America.

"With better prosthetics, I would be able to walk on my own and find a job," she explains through a translator. "I don't want to be in a wheelchair my whole life."

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Learn more about Tao and her family - and find out how to help victims like her at Couric & Co. blog.

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But even if she can walk, Tao's problems won't end. Her family's savings funded her college degree in chemistry, but, like all of the quake's disabled, she'll compete with millions of able-bodied people for a place in Sichuan's shell-shocked economy.

"The greatest risk is that they will be marginalized and perhaps paid to stay at home," said Constance Thomas, the director of the China office of the International Labor Organization.

Perhaps the grown-ups will be able to learn from Sichuan's children - that surviving the unimaginable can offer up strength they never knew they had.

[tburzio]

There are two interesting things in this article. First, CBS makes no mention of the part that official corruption ans shoddy construction played in the murder of countless school children, or in the arrest of parents mad about their murdered children. Second, the correct medical device is only available in America, which CBS says has a horrible medical system. Hmmmmmmmm......

[jsd330]

China is taking all of our jobs, we have a huge trade defecit with them and they are asking us to help their earthquake victims. Chairity begins at home. Did the Chinese help us when Katrina hit? I''m tired of the U.S. helping every other nation when they have a disaster nobody ever helps us.

[chloemontague]

STOP GM FOOD AND CROPS
The GM genocide: Thousands of Indian farmers are committing suicide after using genetically modified crops.
''When Prince Charles claimed thousands of Indian farmers were killing themselves after using GM crops, he was branded a scaremonger. In fact, as this chilling dispatch reveals, it''s even WORSE than he feared.''

This can happen to USA, Canada, UK, Australia, South Africa, NZ etc ---------------GM SEED USE MUST BE STOPPED.---------------------

Indian Ministry of Agriculture..confirms ..a HUGE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, more than 1,000 farmers kill themselves each month!!!!!!!!

Prince Charles is setting up a charity, the Bhumi Vardaan Foundation, to help those affected and promote organic Indian crops instead of GM. India''s farmers are also starting to fight back. As well as taking GM seed distributors hostage and staging mass protests, one state government is taking legal action against Monsanto for the exorbitant costs of GM seeds.

PLEASE READ and Tell Friends and Family- http://tinyurl.com/6ehp3z

[iamauto]

To jsd330:
China donated more in the Katrina than US donated for the earthquake.

[rrozsa-2009]

autumn987 -- do you ever post anything besides these inane ramblings which you always paste into every comments section, no matter what the topic? Do you even read the articles??

[jsd330]

Ti iamauto
Are you sure, if they did it was probobly a loan.

[wcreader]

Every life precious! Viewing how the Chinese earthquake survivors to overcome the challenge in life is an encouragement experiment to all. Never give up. Hold hands together with love and move forward. Our thought and prayer are with the needed one. Good Luck and best wish to them. In the spirit of Thanksgiving from above, May all who can help and over love, please do so.

[wcreader]

Re-send: Every life is precious! Viewing how the Chinese earthquake survivors on how they to overcome the challenge in life are an encouragement experiment to all. Even one had lose a hand or both legs, one never give up. Hold hands together with love and move forward. Our thought and prayer are with the needed one. Good Luck and best wish to them. In the spirit of Thanksgiving from above, May all who can help and over love, please do so.

[wcreader]

Re-send: Great report by Celia Hatton of CBS! Every life is precious. Viewing how the Chinese earthquake survivors on how they have faces and overcome the challenge in life are an encouragement experiment to all. Even one had lose a hand, both legs, or many love one, one will never give up. Hold hands together with love and move forward. Our thought and prayer are with the needed one. Good Luck and best wish to them. In the spirit of Thanksgiving holiday, May all who can offer help and/or even lov as a thankgiving to the above, please do so. With love/harmony and care rather, not kill, not hate, this world would be a much better place to live for all.