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Yingjie Wang

The parents of a one-year-old boy badly burned in an accident have shaved their heads and donated scalp tissue for skin grafts their son urgently needs.
The story of the boy, named Kangkang, and the plight of his family from Cangzhou, northern China’s Hebei province, has been picked up by mainland media and moved millions of people in China.
On Tuesday, the mother volunteered to donate her scalp tissue for her injured son and shaved off her long hair.
“I’m going to donate my scalp to Kangkang tomorrow, and soon our family will be bald,” said the mother, who was not named.

“I’ll also see him for the first time since he was taken to the hospital — I will give him anything.
“It was much less painful than giving birth to him and his brother and sister.”
On the night of July 30, a solar water heater pipe burst at the family’s home. Hot water spurted out and hit Kangkang, who suffered scald burns to 46 per cent of his body. He suffered burn shock and a serious infection afterwards.
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Because of the severity of his injuries, Kangkang was taken to hospital in a coma.
In mid-August, Kangkang was transferred more than 1,000km away to a hospital in Wuhan, Hubei province, central China.
Kangkang’s burns required skin implants using donor tissue from the scalp area, according to his doctors.
On hearing this, his father, also unnamed, donated his scalp tissue for Kangkang, who has now undergone two successful surgeries using the tissue.

However, Kangkang’s burns are extensive, and the tissue donated by his father was not enough.
“We need to wait for his father’s scalp to heal before we can extract the skin again,” said his doctor, Xie Weiguo. “As a result, we asked Kangkang’s mother to donate some scalp as well.”
Kangkang’s father said he felt sorry for his wife having to shave her head for the donation.
“I would not let my wife do this if it wasn’t for my scalp not recovering yet,” the father said.

Using skin from the scalp area is the recommended approach for minimising the impact on donors.
“The main advantage of removing skin from the head is that it leaves no trace after the hair grows back, and it recovers fast,” Xie explained.
On Wednesday, which was more than half a month after the accident, Kangkang’s mother finally saw her son, and the boy burst into tears on seeing her.
“Kangkang, look at mum,” she said. “Be brave, and mum loves you.”
As the family’s story spread online, many in China expressed their sympathy and hoped for a successful surgery and recovery.
“For the sake of their children, parents really are willing to give anything,” one person commented.
Another said: “This is the greatness of a mother and father’s love.”


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‘I will give him anything’: parents shave heads to donate scalp tissue to infant son after hot water badly burns almost half of his body

A mother and father shave their heads to donate skin from their scalps for their badly burnt son’s transplant surgery. Photo: SCMP composite

On Wednesday, more than half a month after the accident, Kangkang’s mother finally got to see her son. Photo: Weibo

The severe nature and extent of Kangkang’s burns meant that his father’s skin tissue donation was not enough and doctors turned to his mother for further tissue. Photo: Weibo

Using skin taken from the scalp area is the recommended approach for skin transplants as it minimises the impact on donors and the area heals quickly. Photo: Weibo

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A burst water heater pipe at the family’s home spewed out scorching water that hit the boy, who received burns to 46 per cent of his body
Due to the severity of his injuries, Kangkang was taken to hospital in a coma in a serious condition and in urgent need of skin donors



The Chinese public is touched by two parents’ devotion to their son after the 1-year-old was seriously injured by a burst hot water pipe and in need of skin tissue from human scalps.


China society

Children in China

‘I will give him anything’: parents shave heads to donate scalp tissue to infant son after hot water badly burns almost half of his body

A burst water heater pipe at the family’s home spewed out scorching water that hit the boy, who received burns to 46 per cent of his body Due to the severity of his injuries, Kangkang was taken to hospital in a coma in a serious condition and in urgent need of skin donors

A burst water heater pipe at the family’s home spewed out scorching water that hit the boy, who received burns to 46 per cent of his body

Due to the severity of his injuries, Kangkang was taken to hospital in a coma in a serious condition and in urgent need of skin donors