Xia Feiqi: Helping the Needy with Prosthetic Limbs out of Un

Xia Feiqi, male, 42, who joined the Communist Party of China in 2000,was demobilized to work with the Assistive Device Resources CenterforPersons with Disabilities ("the Center”) under the Hebei Disabled Persons' Federation("the Federation") in 2007. Since then, he has been serving as the director ofthe ProstheticsDepartment of theCenter. From the first day he worked with the Center,he has formed an indissoluble bond with the Prosthetic Service Project of the Yangtze River New Milestone Program, many needy disabled people and thespirit of "helping the helpless".

Since the implementation of Phase II and Phase III of the Prosthetic Service Project of the Yangtze River New Milestone Program,Xia Feiqi has not done anything earth-shattering.As a person born in the hometown of Lei Feng,Xia Feiqi always does things step by step, just like the way tiny screws fix things bit by bit. In thenine years since he began to work with the Federation,he has won many titles and merits - 1 Class III merit, the title of “provincial outstanding CPC member” once,the title of “pacemaker volunteer in Hebei Province” once, the title of “annual outstanding worker” awarded by the Federation five times and the title of"outstanding individual of the Yangtze River Program” awarded by the Federation in 2013. His stories were published in Hebei Youth Daily,enorth.com.cnandhebei.com.cn.

A good-hearted manin the hearts of the disabled

Serving the disabled wellis the starting point as well as the ultimate purpose of the work for the disabled.Xia Feiqi treats each and every disabled personas his own family member, giving them special respect, special understanding and special care. He is always full of passion, love and patience. The disabledoften call him a good-hearted man.

Some disabled people came all the way to the Assistive Device Resources Centerfor Persons with Disabilities in Hebei to have prosthetic limbs installed. It's difficult for them to find a restaurant because of their disabilities. Therefore, Xia Feiqi had totake them outside to find a place to have dinner.I rememberthat in one winter, it just snowed and the road was particularly slippery.A patient, old and weak, had difficulty in walking. In order to find a restaurant,Xia Feiqi had to support him and walk him slowlyto a roadside eatery. He waited till the patient finished his dinner and then helped him back. When all of his colleagues were off,Xia Feiqi followed the patient to take care of himalone. Each time when a disabled person finishesa prosthetic surgery, Xia Feiqi always sends him or her to the roadside and onto a vehicle,making the disabledfeel the helpfulness, thoughtfulness and meticulousness of the staff of the Center.

For the convenience of the disabled,Xia Feiqi sometimes takes his work back home.OnOctober 26, 2014, Chai Dan,the parent of Lu Guanheng –achildin Cangzhouwho suffered from cerebral palsy,called Xia Feiqi many timesand insisted to come to Shijiazhuang tohave an orthosis installed so that her kidcan put on orthopedic shoes as soon as possible. It was Sunday. In order tosatisfy the parent’s urgent need and not let her down, Xia Feiqi asked her to come to his home and he did the moulding for the child. When the parent left, Xia Feiqi even invited them to have dinner with him at home. The parent wasso much moved that she said,"No, thanks! It’s Sunday.We have already been bothering you for too long. I’m so sorry for this! How can I bother you further by staying for dinner?”With these words,she held the child and rushed towards the railway station.

The financial conditions of the disabled are usually not good.When some of the disabled cametothe Center to have prosthetic limbs installed,they didn’t take enough money with them.When they headed back home, they were afraid of missing the coach, so they need to take a taxi to thecoach station.But after they paid for the taxi, they wouldnothave enough money for the coach.Whenever Xia Feiqi saw this,he would sympathize with themand offer to give them five or six yuan each time. As to how many times, that’s something he cannot remember.

A "bellwether" at work

Xia Feiqi often said -As a Party member and cadre, he must always be strict with himself and meet the highest standards of an outstanding Party memberlike Lei Feng who stated that we should put suffering before enjoying. He didn’t just sayso,buthe also did so.

Since the implementation of the Prosthetic Service Project of the Yangtze River New Milestone Program,Xia Feiqi often led his team to cities and counties and entered townships and villages toinstall prosthetic limbs for the disabled.He is both a "commander" and a "soldier."Wearingadoctor’swhite coatand squatting, he did moulding for the disabled. Surrounded by a group of disabled people, he was asked all kinds of questions.These scenes are so vivid, so fresh and so common.Many disabled people are very familiar with his name, hisimage and his voice. Promoted by the Prosthetic Service Project of the Yangtze River New Milestone Program, Hebei Province launched a series of prostheticinstallation activities which helped more than 20,000 disabledpeople to walk independently.This is the condensation of Xia Feiqi's labor, sweat,efforts and dedication.