Donors rally to stop cancer families' shared kitchen from closing
A screenshot from an interview by Pear Video shows piled bags of rice ready for cooking in the shared kitchen.
Citizens and netizens have rallied with generous donations to stop the shared kitchen near Henan Cancer Hospital from being closed down, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Wide media coverage recently highlighted the financial plight of the kitchen in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, which provides cooking space for family members of patients. Many people were inspired to reach out to support the facility.
"We have received so much rice, oil and flour from many warm-hearted people. I want to thank them," said kitchen owner Zhang Guangbing.
"Please stop donating. We already have run out of room."
The donations have been enough to maintain operations for some time and he will try his best to continue running the kitchen, Zhang said.
Family members of patients cook in the shared kitchen.
The shared facility near Henan Cancer Hospital is intended to enable family members of patients to cook meals and is used by more than 200 people every day.
Zhang charges users 5 yuan (77 US cents) and has held prices at that level for six years, according to Henan TV.
In an interview produced by Pear Video, Zhang said that he was inspired by the experience of attending his father who was hospitalized for heart disease.
"I once dreamed of opening branches across the country, but now the first step is to steadily run this small kitchen," Zhang said in the interview.
