- Barbecue stall owner Shao Sanhu paused business to donate stem cells to a child in need
- Shao closed his stall for nearly two weeks, citing a family matter in a public notice
- He faced financial losses of about 20,000 yuan due to rent, salaries, and wasted ingredients
A barbecue stall owner in China has won widespread praise online after temporarily shutting down his business to donate stem cells to a three-year-old child suffering from leukaemia, reported South China Morning Post.
Shao Sanhu, a 33-year-old from Anhui province in central China, paused his barbecue business for nearly two weeks to complete the stem cell donation process for a toddler he had never met before.
On April 18, Shao placed a notice on the tarpaulin covering his stall, informing customers that the business would remain closed for a week because of a family matter.
Because of the temporary closure, he had to give away prepared ingredients and reportedly faced losses of around 20,000 yuan in rent and staff salaries.
On April 27, Shao successfully donated his stem cells in Hefei, the capital city of Anhui province, to help a three-year-old child battling leukaemia.
When Shao reopened his business on May 1 during the May Day holiday, he was surprised to find more than 60 groups of customers waiting in line for food.
According to reports, some customers even travelled from other provinces to support him. One visitor said he spent seven hours flying and driving from southwestern China because he was deeply moved by Shao's act and wanted to meet him personally.
Due to the unexpectedly large crowds, Shao moved forward his plans to shift the stall to a nearby shop to avoid causing inconvenience to neighbours.
He also received support from the local restaurant and catering association, which provided cooks and waiters to help manage the rush of customers.
