Woman, 27, in China, with end-stage kidney disease, does food delivery to make ends meet

Living with end-stage kidney disease and requiring daily dialysis, a 27-year-old woman in Shenyang, China, began working as a food delivery rider and hosting livestreams to make ends meet.

Diagnosed at 23

Speaking to local media Jimu News, the 27-year-old woman, Yu Yue (transliteration), shared that she was diagnosed with uremia in 2021.

Uremia is a form of kidney disease in which urea enters the blood.

Urea and other related toxins affect the functioning of body tissues, especially the nervous system.

Yu told Jimu News that without daily dialysis, she may suffer from organ failure, as well as other medical conditions, which will put her life in danger.

She has suffered from peritonitis, an inflammation of the inner belly lining, three times in the past four years.

Each month, Yu spends roughly RMB3,000 (S$540) on her medical bills.

Yu is from a single-parent household with her dad, who works as a security guard, and two younger sisters.

Her mum passed just three months after Yu was born.

"My dad doesn't take home much and my medical condition places an extra burden on him financially," Yu said.

Delivery work allows time for dialysis

Three months ago, Yu began working as a food delivery rider to make ends meet, which has become her lifeline.

Explaining her decision, she pointed out that there's more freedom in this line of work.

Most employers would also turn down her job application once they learn about the fact that she has to go for dialysis every day.

It's no easy feat for someone living with a chronic condition, however.

"I often have to take the stairs when on the job, but because of my condition I'll feel fatigued and out of breath," Yu told Jimu News.

On top of food deliveries, Yu also hosts livestreams to try to bring in more income.

"For livestreams, I don't earn much. There was once I streamed for four hours, only to earn RMB20 (S$3.60)," the 27-year-old revealed.

Life barely began

Yu documents her daily life on social media, sharing with followers her experience living with uremia.

In them, she lamented that the clock started ticking before life even began.

She's still single, but marriage is likely not on the cards, Jimu News wrote.

After her series of videos on social media, Yu received an outpouring of support from the online community, with commenters cheering her on and encouraging her to keep going.

Despite all that has happened, Yu continues to maintain a positive outlook on life.

The 27-year-old shared that, at the moment, the financial pressure is not overwhelming yet, as she is thankfully covered by health insurance, through which she can claim up to 70 per cent of her monthly medical bills.

Top image via Jimu News