China Earthquake: CHILDREN IN RECOVERY

Far from Beijing and its gathering of Olympic athletes, a small group of people in Chengdu, China, spend hours each day pushing their own physical limits. Some are missing an arm or a leg. Others lost even more. They are all victims of the earthquake that devastated Sichuan Province in southwest China on May 12, that left nearly 70,000 people dead and 18,000 missing. They are here at a medical center to learn to use prosthetic limbs.

Many patients here are young children who lost limbs because of a school collapse. They also lost many of their friends and classmates. Chun Rui Xia, 8, lost her right leg above her knee. 21 of her classmates perished in the rubbles when her school collapsed.

Despite physical and psychological trauma, the children brave the strict training regiment with hope and determination.

Li Yaohua, 5, shows off headstand, July 2008.
   
Li Yaohua, 5, trains with his father Li Qingsong’s support, July2008.
   
Yin Xue, 9, cries during her walking practice with her prosthetic leg, July 2008.
     
  
Li Yiaoyao, 5, laughs as she plays with her dolls, July2008.
   
Pang Yazhi, 12, trains, July2008.
   
Chun Rui Xia, 8, left, cries as a nurse massages her amputated leg, July 2008. 21 of her classmates were killed due to the earthquake.
     
  
Zeng Pengfei, 7, takes an elevator, July 2008.
   
Prosthetic legs are seen at the doctor's office, July2008.
   
Li Yaohua, 5, is seen with his father Li Qingsong, July 2008.
     
  
A young girl smiles as she prepares to practice walking with her new prosthetic leg, July 2008.
   
Chun Rui Xia, 8, makes her way through the hallway, July 2008. 21 of her classmates were killed due to the earthquake.