Li Hongfang, a 40-year-old Chinese woman, was afflicted with a rare type of bone cancer that caused massive, disfiguring tumors to grow under her face. She was shunned for 10 years, unable to afford medical treatment, while the tumors continued to expand, mutating her face beyond recognition. But then, as does not happen often enough in the world, some people carried out an act of genuine, overwhelming kindness. A hospital in Xi’an offered to perform the £60,000 surgery on the house. As Li went into the surgery, she said that, “I just want to look normal again, like I feel inside. I’m not a monster and I don’t want to look like one.” There’s still some minor swelling around her eyes, and she’s waiting to look into a mirror until the swelling is completely gone …
