Painters donate works to leukemia patient

david Date：4/7/2006 6:54:18 PM

MORE than 200 painters from Dafen Oil Painting Village in Shenzhen’s Longgang District have donated over 500 paintings for a charity sale, which is being held in the Shenzhen Museum from today through tomorrow.
The proceeds from the sale will go to Zhang Liqun, who is suffering from leukemia and needs money for a bone marrow transplant.
These paintings are expected to sell for at least 500,000 yuan (US$61,652), which is the cost of the operation.
The patient’s elder brother Zhang Jianbin is also a painter in the village.
Zhang Jianbin, from Jiangxi Province, has an art gallery in the Dafen village, China’s biggest oil painting export base. Since his sister was diagnosed with leukemia this June, Zhang Jianbin used up all his savings for her treatment. He also plans to donate his bone marrow, which could help cure her.
“My sister is one of the most important persons in my life. She gave me a lot of support during my difficult times, and her concerns have been stimulating me in working in Shenzhen,” said Zhang Jianbin.
Zhang Liqun is 26 years old and has a 1-year-old child.
Zhang Jianbin said the operation had at least a 25- percent chance of being successful. The operation would be scheduled as soon as the money was raised.
Many painters said they were moved by the brother-sister tie, which initiated the charity drive.
“I am very touched by their story. I really hope we can get enough money to help them,” said a painter surnamed Liu.
The Dafen painters have raised 10,000 yuan (US$1,250) for the Zhangs.