Parental love knows no bounds.

A father in China was diagnosed with cancer. But he opted to forgo his treatment after his daughter was also diagnosed with cancer. He wanted to ensure that she could afford treatment.

Lung cancer and lymphoma

According to China-based media Sohu, 21-year-old Sun Ying, a student attending Henan Normal University was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2015.

Unfortunately, her father had been diagnosed with lung cancer just one year earlier in 2014.

Because of the family's financial constraints, Sun's father decided against continuing his own treatment, so that his daughter could continue with hers.

Sohu added that his cancer eventually metastasised and that he passed away in Dec. 2015.

Father was daughter's "superhero"

Sohu quoted Sun calling her father a "superhero".

Sun said that her father's lung cancer had originally been under control, and that his treatment cost between 200,000RMB (S$40,325) to 300,000RMB (S$60,487) overall.

But her father was shocked when Sun was diagnosed with cancer.

His own condition unfortunately got worse, and the cancer spread to his brain.

Sun's father decided to stop his own treatment, so as to leave money for hers.

Sun also wrote in her diary:

"Dec. 4, 2015. My superhero left the world, and my world has lost colour for a long time. Since then, I have stopped being stubborn and timid. I am now independent and strong.

Now it's Dec. 4, 2018. The winter in Xinxiang City is cold and it's raining heavily. I miss him very much, my superhero. I may not cry until I cannot control myself anymore, because I will be stronger and more independent, so that I can do anything like him."

Reached a nadir in 2018

Sohu further reported that Sun went through a rocky road in her treatment.

From 2015 to 2018, Sun went through over 30 chemotherapy and 20 radiotherapy sessions, resulting in the loss of all her hair and a weight gain of about 30 pounds (13 kg).

Sun also relapsed thrice during the same period, nearly giving up at one point in April 2018 after she came down with a high fever, coughing and itching.

By that time, her family's savings and borrowed money had all been spent, and her body had also become resistant to the drugs she was prescribed.

Teacher, classmates encouraged her

Sun told Sohu that she lost hope at that point, and decided to go to school instead of hospital, leaving it up to Heaven's decision if she were to live.

But her teacher found out about her condition, and encouraged her to continue treatment.

China News reported that Sun's classmates and teachers also donated over RMB100,000 (S$20,000) for her medical fees.

This lifted her spirits and encouraged her to push on.

Recording her experiences in a diary

Sun also recorded her experiences of her battle with cancer by drawing colourful comics in a diary.

Some of these images have been uploaded to Weibo.

Soldiering on

In the meantime, Sun is continuing to undergo chemotherapy and is waiting for an improvement in her condition in order to undergo a stem cell transplant.

She has also become more optimistic, having already made it a goal to travel with her mother and to continue pursuing her studies.

Top image collage from Weibo/People's Daily