In the morning of June 3, 2016, a new Book Launch & Book Donation Ceremony for the book Living with Cancer written by Prof. Xu Kecheng was held at the Press Conference Hall of China Education Network Television-Health Channel. Sun Qingju, former vice president of Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C., Yin Dakui, former vice minister of Health, Zhang Wenxiang, former deputy director general of the Information Bureau, Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China, Dou Xizhao, former deputy secretary of Party Membership Committee of the Ministry of Health and president of National Association of Health Industry and Enterprise Management, Huang Dianlong, vice president of China Association of Rehabilitation Technology Transformation and Promotion also attended the book launch.
Yin Dakui, former health minister, delivered a speech at the new book launch
The event, sponsored by the Health Channel, China Education Network Television, Jinan University Affiliated Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital, is supported by Fuda Boai Foundation, Guangdong Branch Red Cross Society of China. Reporters from over 20 media, including CCTV, People’s Daily Online, Xinhuanet, Health News, Health Times, etc. have covered this event.
He is a cancer survivor
According to statistics, there are 8,550 newly diagnosed cancer patients every day in China and one out of eight people die of cancer. Cancer has become a major cause of death in China and everyone turns pale at the mentioning of cancer. Prof. Xu Kecheng has determined to make cancer as his lifework ever since his mother died of cancer in 1970s. In 2001, he established Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital, making advanced malignant cancer as the main treatment objective and prolonging patients’ lifespan and improving their quality of life as the major objective. Fuda Cancer Hospital is proactive in innovation. It became the first few hospitals to have introduced argon-helium cryosurgery technologies in China and it has carried out “3C” treatment model featured with cryosurgical ablation (CSA), cancer microvascular intervention (CMI) and combined immunotherapy for cancer (CIC).
Xu Kecheng has saved many cancer patients and given them a second chance to life regardless of economic gains. He has therefore been awarded Norman Bethune Medal, Model of the Time and the 5th National Moral Model Award Nominee.
However, Xu Kecheng, who has been working in the cause of cancer treatment for several decades, was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in 2006. He has been maintaining a positive attitude and cooperating with treatment. ten years have passed, he is still healthy as he used to be. His cancer experience and years of clinical practice in cancer treatment has prompted him to write the book Living with Cancer. Prof. Xu Kecheng said his book is an attempt to make people realize cancer is a type of chronic disease and cancer cells cannot be overkilled; cancer is not fearful as long as cancer patients can keep a positive attitude, uphold a correct concept, adopt innovative strategy and receive appropriate treatment, they can finally reach a peaceful coexistence with cancer.
Three academicians spoke highly of the new concept of living with cancer
The book Living with Cancer is the display of the strenuous effort that Prof. Xu has made. He used his practice and experience in cancer treatment to analyze the truth of cancer and provided guidance for patients and innovative concepts for doctors.
This book is highly appreciated by academician Wu Mengchao from Chinese Academy of Science, academician Wang Zhenyi and academician Tang Zhaoyou from Chinese Academy of Engineering, who also prefaced the book respectively.
Remarks from the three academicians:
Wu Mengchao, “Living with cancer should become a new concept for cancer treatment and an important strategy for clinical treatment.”
Wang Zhenyi, “I have been keeping an eye on Prof. Xu Kecheng’s achievement made in the clinical cancer treatment. I will for sure recommend this book to clinical doctors.”
Tang Zhaoyou, “The therapeutic strategy and therapeutic measures advocated by Prof. Xu Kecheng
At the new book launch, Cai Ping said on behalf of academician Wu Mengchao, Mr. Wu highly appreciates the contribution Prof. Xu Kecheng has made to the cause of cancer treatment. As a first-line practitioner of clinical work, Prof. Xu has been holding a loving heart towards patients and forward thinking towards medicine. He showed even greater perseverance, devotion and spirit of innovation after he underwent operation for liver cancer, which has set a good example for all the counterparts in the medical community. Prof. Xu wrote many essays on cases he attends to by combining the latest concept for cancer treatment and published the essays on several media, which has touched many patients and people who care about cancer. Today, all the essays are compiled into a book with the title of “Living with cancer”, which is really admirable and of great significance. Mr. Wu noted that idea of living with cancer should become a strategy to guide clinical treatment.
Yin Dakui: the concept of living with cancer should be highly praised
At the new book launch, Yin Dakui noted, “Prof. Xu Kecheng and I are long-time friend. He is a nationally renowned digestive specialist, oncologist and outstanding representative of private hospitals. I once organized a study tour for the presidents of private hospitals to Fuda Cancer Hospital. They interviewed with some of the hospitalized cancer patients and were deeply touched by the humanitarian services provided by FUDA”
He also noted as each of us have the possibility of developing cancer and the point is how to maintain a normal immune function. The conventional therapies for cancer include operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy; however, they are not applicable to all cases. For instance, total hepectomy cannot be applied to all liver cancer patients; chemotherapy drugs kill both good cells and cancer cells; radiotherapy does the same. We need to know that cancer cells cannot be completely killed as they can be metastasized through lymph nodes. Immunotherapy can come in to inhibit the generation of cancer cells. The concept of living with cancer teaches us that cancer is a controllable and treatable disease. Prof. Xu Kecheng, as a cholangiocarcinoma survivor, is a living example of the concept. I would like to advise cancer patients to fight against cancer through reasonable diet, proper exercise and standard treatments.
Jiang Wen, publicity director of the Press and Publicity Department of National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China, noted, “I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to attend the new book launch. Prof. Xu Kecheng has been serving the people wholeheartedly and manifesting socialist core values with his practical action. His practical deeds and spirit of utter devotion have inspired many doctors and patients. The book Living with Cancer, is a book about love. Medical science has its own limitation. As long as doctors and patients work side by side, cancer patients can reach the state of living with cancer.”
Qi Yutai, vice president of the Ideological and Political Work Committee of the Health Department of Guangdong Province, noted Prof. Xu Kecheng is the practitioner of the spirit of Guangdong Doctor. Prof. Xu and his medical team have created lots of miracles in the fight against cancer. As a cholangiocarcinoma survivor, he never stops working and has published 7 medical books in a row; he opened up Xu Kecheng consultation room where he could provide free consultation for cancer patients; he managed to seek support of provincial leaders and have Guangdong Provincial Light of Life Society for Cancer Rehabilitation gained continuous development. He engaged himself in the clinical work in the hospital and has been creating humanistic medicine with the medical team at FUDA.
Peers: this book lights up the light of life
Prof. Lu Youyong of Peking University Cancer Hospital is a friend of Prof. Xu Kecheng for over 20 years. He said, today is a special day as it marks the publication of the book Living with Cancer. Why this book has attracted so much attention like the birth of a baby? After I read the book in one sitting, many stories in the book were playing back in my mind like movies as the stories are true reflections of love and wisdom. Prof. Xu has shown to the readers four realms of life in this book: natural realm, material realm, moral realm and cosmic realm. The idea of living with cancer is an exploration of nature and life from the perspective of the moral realm and cosmic realm. When patients read the book, it will light up the light of hope; when doctors read the book, it will inspire their creativity and courage to explore the myth of life; when the public read the book, it will spread the love and warmth to the world.
Prof. Xu’s way of practicing medicine is displayed in many of the touching stories. The art of healing is a combination of science and art: the former is about medical knowledge while the latter is about wisdom and love. A Bethune-like doctor is the role he has played in all the stories and the epitome of all doctors. The typical cases in the book teach us that the advances of medical technology depend on the development of medical science and technological innovation. Only by combining advanced technology and loving hearts can the cause of medicine and heath gain development.
The book Living with Cancer is a combination of knowledge, wisdom, courage and conscience. When practicing medicine, doctors should never take it lightly. Therefore, we should reconsider the existing pathogenesis of cancer and conventional cancer treatment methods as our duty as doctors is to decode the myth of life, maximize the benefits of patients, doctors and the society.
Cancer patients: the concept of living with cancer can be realized
At the new book launch, a teenager girl caught the attention of the participants. She is Xiaofeng, a previous cancer patient of Fuda Cancer Hospital. She recalled, in 2014, she had abdominal pain and also felt a hard mass in the abdomen. She went for examination at a local hospital only to be told she was having liver cancer. Upon hearing the doctor’s words, she felt the world was crumbling around her… “It is Prof. Xu who has saved me and given me a second chance to life. Thanks to President Xu and Fuda Cancer Hospital, I’m able to survive to this day. In the past, I was so scary when I heard the word of cancer. But now, I’m no longer afraid. I have confidence to defeat cancer. I also hope other cancer patients can have confidence and hope for life. ”
Xiaofeng (R1) thanks Fuda for giving her second chance to life
Xu Kecheng: we are to bring hope for more cancer patients
At the new book launch, Prof. Xu Kecheng donated him new book Living with Cancer to Angle in White Fund, China Women’s Development Foundation and Beijing Anti-cancer Association
Xu Kecheng said he was very happy to see Xiaofeng being so strong. Two years ago, a doctor in my hospital told me that a child with pancreatic tumor was discharged not long after her admission. After I learned her case, I immediately decided to visit the little patient with our doctors. It took us about 5 hours to drive to her home. Her parents told us that they didn’t have enough money to get Xiaofeng treated as they got several kids to raise. I told her parents, “Never mind, we will get her treated in our hospital”. At that time, Xiaofeng was in critical condition as her platelet was less than 10,000. Doctors in other hospitals predicated that she had only ten days left. I told our doctors, “Don’t lose our confidence. Let us try our best shot.” Instead of doing conventional treatment, we gave her our minimally invasive treatment. That’s how she managed to survive to this day.
Among all the cancer patients we have treated, there is a Danish cancer patient called Gurli Gregerson. In 2007, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with liver metastases. Her doctor told her there was no good way out and she was only given three months to live. After tried and failed in other hospitals, she came to our hospital for treatment, after which she had her condition controlled. After she returned to Denmark, she was invited to deliver speeches titled with “China, My Family” on many occasions. Now, she still got cancer in her body and coming back to FUDA for treatment has become her annual event as cancer is not to be overkilled but to be controlled. As of now, she has survived for over 8 years since her treatment. In 2014, I was honored to become the laureate of Role Mode of the Times and Gurli was invited to attend the award ceremony as a special guest. At the award ceremony, she shed tears of excitation, saying it was FUDA that has saved her life. What I really want to say is that we, as doctors, should bring hope for more cancer patients with our loving heart, wisdom and technology.
Fuda Cancer Hospital-Guangzhou 