Editor's Note:   Wu Yiyun is a gastric cancer patient, and fate has been cruel to her: her eldest daughter passed away before reaching one month old, she was later diagnosed with cancer, and four years later, the cancer recurred and metastasized, while her father succumbed to leukemia. Yet fate has also been kind: her husband stood by her unwaveringly, supporting and encouraging her under immense pressure, giving her the courage and strength to fight against fate and disease. After two grueling years of IVF, she risked her life to bring her angelic daughter, Qiqi, into the world. "If you don't let go, I won't give up"—such warmth and devotion truly exist in real life, made even more touching after enduring so much hardship.   ---   An ordinary photograph shows a mother who doesn’t look young or particularly beautiful, slightly frail, holding a two- or three-year-old girl. The adorable child and the mother’s overflowing happiness radiate from the image. The little girl’s nickname is Qiqi (奇奇), the qi from qiji (奇迹), meaning "miracle"—and her arrival was nothing short of one. Because her mother is a gastric cancer patient, someone who had her entire stomach removed and has battled cancer for over a decade.   Wu Yiyun was born in 1979. In the bloom of youth, she married and soon gave birth to a lovely daughter. No one could have foreseen that the baby would pass away suddenly before turning a month old. Misfortune struck again when, soon after, a routine checkup revealed she had gastric cancer. The successive blows devastated her family—financially ruined, emotionally shattered—as fate relentlessly tested her and her loved ones.   Some relatives and friends urged her husband to abandon her treatment, even suggesting divorce. To them, it seemed like a bottomless pit. But Wu Yiyun’s husband was a man of responsibility. "In sickness and in health"—this was his silent vow to his wife, his unwavering principle. The year was 2005. In February, their child died; in March, she was diagnosed with cancer; and in May, just three days after their first wedding anniversary, she underwent a total gastrectomy.   Under tremendous pressure, her husband scraped together money from everywhere, standing steadfastly by her side, encouraging her to fight the disease, urging her through surgery and chemotherapy. Because of his refusal to give up on her, Wu Yiyun found the courage and strength to defy fate.   The pain from the surgery was unimaginable: her legs ached so badly she could barely walk; for the first two or three months after the removal of her stomach, she couldn’t straighten her back, forcing her to train little by little every day. At first, she measured progress in minutes—one minute, two minutes. Day by day, month by month, through persistence, she gradually regained her strength. To ease the financial burden on her husband, who was now the sole breadwinner covering her medical expenses, she opened a small convenience store the year after her surgery, supporting their modest household alongside him despite her fragile health.   As her body slowly recovered, she felt a newfound strength. The world hadn’t abandoned her—why should she leave it? Her husband had given her not just love, but something even greater: the belief in living. She merely had an illness called "cancer," one that was stubborn and required extra patience and perseverance.   In 2008, shadows were detected in her lungs, later confirmed as metastatic tumors. But with her resilient optimism, when misfortune struck again, she faced it with surprising calm, as if a lotus had bloomed in her heart.   She was admitted to Anqing First People’s Hospital. Tragically, her father was diagnosed with leukemia around the same time and placed in the same ward. To spare him additional anguish, she requested their rooms be kept far apart. Many medical staff expressed deep sympathy for the family’s misfortunes, lamenting the cruelty of fate.   In the end, her father passed away, not yet sixty. It was 2009—by then, she had been fighting cancer for four years. On her long, arduous journey, just when she needed her family’s support the most, her father was gone. The loss grieved her deeply. But she knew her father, like her, had never surrendered. She could still feel the strength of his love—how hard he had fought to live, refusing to give up until his last breath.   Doctors treated her with chemotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine, and eventually, the lung masses disappeared. Her health improved steadily. Wu Yiyun began participating in social activities and joined Anqing’s Cancer Association, a grassroots organization where most members were cancer patients—and also volunteers, a group of life-loving warriors supporting each other in their fight against the disease.   As the association’s deputy secretary-general, Wu Yiyun handled new member admissions. She was honored as an "Anti-Cancer Warrior" and "Outstanding Volunteer," while also becoming a key figure in the group’s artistic performances, often participating in charity events. She shared her survival experiences with fellow patients who had lost hope, using her smile to tell them: Cancer is not invincible!   Embracing life’s challenges, she conceived an even bolder idea—to have a child of her own. Without a stomach, her body couldn’t absorb nutrients like a healthy person’s, leaving her weak and occasionally prone to fainting. When doctors learned of her pregnancy plans, they warned her of the dangers. But she remained determined. She wanted to give her husband a complete family.   Despite multiple failed IVF attempts, she refused to give up. After two difficult years, she finally risked her life to conceive, and in June 2014, delivered a healthy, adorable baby girl via C-section—Qiqi. Qiqi’s arrival lit up her entire world. She was immersed in boundless happiness; not only had the world not forsaken her, it had blessed her with this little angel. With her daughter, she came to understand deeply: As long as you don’t give up, life will always bloom with its own unique beauty.   Because of love, we love. In this world, as long as you hold on, life will always reveal its beauty—sometimes, it just takes a little longer.

Editor's Note:   Lily and her mother are unfortunate—both were diagnosed with breast cancer, with Lily being only 26 years old at the time, while her mother also suffered from lung cancer. Yet, they are also fortunate. For her mother's sake, Lily mustered her courage, regained her spirits, and faced reality with optimism, actively cooperating with her doctors for treatment. When her mother was diagnosed, though heartbroken, Lily drew from her own experience to encourage her. The mother and daughter took care of and supported each other, gradually emerging from the darkest chapter of their lives and moving step by step toward victory over cancer...   ---   I am an ordinary post-’85s girl—I love beauty, shopping, and snacks, living a bright and joyful life. I was busy managing the nail salon I had just opened, filling my free time with dates with my boyfriend or outings with friends. My days were packed, and I was full of hope for the future.   However, one day in September 2013, while taking a shower, I accidentally discovered a hard lump in my right breast. I stood frozen in the bathroom, at a loss.   The next day, my mother took me to the hospital for an examination. After a series of tests, the doctor looked at my report with a grave expression. After a moment, he said a tissue biopsy was urgently needed to confirm whether it was breast cancer. Sitting across from the doctor, I could tell from his demeanor that the worst was likely true. Yet, I still clung to hope: "Maybe not, it can’t be! I can’t be this unlucky!" The doctor paused and said, "Based on the current results, the probability of breast cancer is very high." I’ve always considered myself an optimistic person, but when I heard this devastating news, I felt despair like never before. I was diagnosed with mid-to-late-stage breast cancer, and the lymph nodes already showed signs of metastasis. In just a few days, my spirit and body were slowly crushed by the disease. I resolutely broke up with my boyfriend—love, life, and the future grew increasingly blurry in my vision...        At the time, I was in utter despair. But then I thought of how I was the joy of my family, the apple of my parents’ eyes. If I gave up, what would happen to them? Who would take care of them in their old age? Especially my sensitive and fragile mother—how heartbroken and hopeless she would be. So, I gathered my courage, pulled myself together, and faced reality with optimism. With the companionship and encouragement of my family and friends, I actively cooperated with my doctors and bravely underwent surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, endocrine therapy, and targeted therapy. Though the treatment process was grueling, I persevered with strength and optimism. Because of the chemotherapy, I lost my long, beautiful hair, and my skin became dry and sallow—I almost lost the appearance of a young woman in the prime of her life. Despite this, as someone who loves taking selfies, I still flashed my sweetest smile in front of the camera. I strictly followed my doctor’s advice, completely abandoning my previous unhealthy eating habits and rebuilding a new, healthy lifestyle. Gradually, it seemed as though the misfortune had faded away with my recovery.   But then, in the winter of 2016, my mother began experiencing pain in her right breast. By then, it had been three years since my diagnosis. Having accompanied me through treatment, my mother had gained extensive knowledge about the disease. She was well aware that the risk of hereditary breast cancer was not low, and since her daughter was already a patient, her own breast pain might also be related. Sure enough, after a series of tests, she was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer and primary lung cancer. The news struck like a bolt from the blue, leaving everyone stunned. I held my mother and cried, unable to bear the thought of her enduring the same pain I had gone through. Yet, I told myself I had to be her strongest pillar of support. So, I wiped away my tears, put on a smile, and said to her, "If I could do it, so can you! I’m your little snuggle jacket, and I’ll be with you every step of the way!"   After undergoing two major surgeries—one for breast cancer and another for lung cancer—my mother tossed and turned in pain every night. I held her hand, hoping to offer some comfort.   More agonizing than the physical pain was the mental torment of the disease. For a time, my mother was trapped in despair. Fortunately, her breast cancer was detected early, and the doctor assured us that with surgery and chemotherapy, the disease could be controlled and even potentially cured. Eventually, my mother found the courage to pull herself out of the darkness.   Knowing that her worries were mostly for me and the future, the best thing I could do was to inspire her with my own optimism. I often took her to wig shops, trying on different styles and colors. We’d strike cute poses, take photos together, and share knowing smiles. I frequently reminded her, "The best solution isn’t to escape but to face it." We never ignored our illnesses or pretended they didn’t exist, but we also didn’t talk about them 24/7.   Over the years, I’ve felt both unfortunate and lucky. Unfortunate because I was so young yet faced such a vicious disease; lucky because my illness made me discover more beauty in life, appreciate the little things, and adopt a healthier lifestyle. In six months, I’ll reach my fifth year of fighting cancer. Over the past four-plus years, regular checkups have shown no signs of recurrence or metastasis. I know I’m not far from victory—and my mother will be too!