- Chinese teen Zhan battled a rare immune disease while pursuing university admission.
- He scored 587 in Gaokao despite high fever and urgent medical treatment.
- Diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis linked to Epstein-Barr virus.
A Chinese teenager who fought a rare and serious illness with remarkable courage has died days after receiving the university admission letter he had long dreamed of. The 18-year-old student, Zhan from Anqing in eastern China's Anhui province, encouraged himself throughout treatment by sketching trains that represented his journey toward university, reported South China Morning Post.
His father said that Zhan had a high fever during this year's entrance examination, or Gaokao. In their rush to reach the exam on time, they could only get him a drip at a nearby clinic.
Despite being ill, he performed brilliantly and scored 587 marks out of 750. But after the exam was over, his fever kept rising again and again.
Blood tests at a local clinic found abnormalities, after which he was referred to the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Further testing revealed that he had a serious immune disease called hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, which is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.
After treatment, Zhan's health started improving and he was discharged from the hospital. He then filled out his university application and chose Vehicle Engineering at Dalian Jiaotong University.
His father said that since childhood, Zhan had greatly respected Zhan Tianyou, who is known as the "Father of China's Railways". Zhan Tianyou College is at Dalian Jiaotong University, and it was the place he dreamed of studying.
Shortly after returning home his condition began to deteriorate again. His father took him to Shanghai for better treatment. There he underwent chemotherapy several times, but his health continued to deteriorate. Doctors finally said that stem cell transplant was the last hope.
His father remembers that Zhan stood with great courage during the entire process. Even during the first chemotherapy, when he was asked if he was in pain, he never shed tears. During treatment, he used to keep his university admission card under his pillow so that he could remain inspired.
In his diary he often drew pictures of high-speed trains, and next to one picture he wrote that his destination was Dalian. This gave him the strength to move forward.
His father said Zhan always believed that he would recover and start studying again, and he never gave up hope. She underwent a stem cell transplant on 7 November, but it was not successful. He died on the night of 10 November.
His father, heartbroken, said that he had tried everything possible, but still nothing was achieved. Losing their son gives them great pain and regret.
