On the morning of May 7, the rehabilitation training halls at Nanjing Zijin Hospital’s Jiangning and Qinhuai campuses were busier than usual, as they hosted a unique competition: a handmade crafts contest. Participants included patients from the rehabilitation department and hospital staff. With assistance from family members and medical personnel, patients could either create their own dried-flower photo album or opt to craft a nail‑and‑thread art piece.

To the average person, these crafts may seem simple, but for patients whose brain functions have been impaired for various reasons, completing even a small piece of handiwork requires coordinating and mobilizing multiple bodily functions and strengths—far from easy.

Among the patients participating in this event were young children as young as five or six, as well as elderly individuals. Regardless of their age or background, everyone took part in the crafting competition with great dedication.

Patient Dai Jianying was admitted for carbon monoxide poisoning. After three months in a coma, she regained consciousness in late March this year—her first time participating in such a group activity. Following more than an hour of dedicated effort, with the assistance of Li Min, head nurse of Ward 104, she completed her dried-flower photo frame. When she saw the finished piece—the result of her collaborative work with the head nurse—Dai Jianying, who usually speaks very little and rarely shows emotion, burst into tears.

Li Min, head nurse of Ward 104 at Nanjing Zijin Hospital, said, “She rarely shows any emotions in everyday life. Today, she joined everyone and took part in group activities. Plus, when she thought about showing her daughter the photo frame, her emotions finally burst forth.”

Another patient, Cui Jian, 61 years old this year, comes from a family of three generations of paratroopers; his father, Cui Hanqing, was even China’s first paratrooper to lose a leg. Following a hemorrhage in the right basal ganglia that extended into the ventricles, he was transferred to Nanjing Zijin Hospital for rehabilitation earlier this year after receiving initial treatment. His wife, Gai Li, and he have known each other since childhood—having met at the age of three, they grew up together on the military compound, both became paratroopers, and eventually married. During his three-month stay at the hospital, Cui Jian has progressed from severe hemiplegia upon admission to achieving level‑1 sitting and standing balance today. This remarkable recovery has been made possible not only by Gai Li’s meticulous care and Cui Jian’s own determination, but also by the hospital’s expert medical treatment and comprehensive rehabilitation program.

The entire event was lively and engaging; though it was a competition, it felt more like a fun game. Director Qi of the Rehabilitation Department noted that such activities help foster a warm, relaxed atmosphere, enabling patients to approach their recovery with a positive mindset. He added that psychological support is just as important as physical therapy, which is why the department regularly organizes these events. On one hand, they provide rehabilitation exercises that offer a welcome break from the monotony and discomfort of daily training; on the other, they allow clinicians to assess the effectiveness of patients’ progress and the precision of their motor skills, so that targeted interventions can be refined and patients can receive thorough preparatory training before returning home.

Patient’s family member, Gaili, said, “I think activities like this are wonderful. Their daily rehabilitation exercises can be tough and monotonous, but competitions like this bring everyone together, creating a sense of family and lifting their spirits.”

At the conclusion of the event, the patients presented their carefully crafted creations as gifts to the nurses they regarded as the most beautiful. With International Nurses Day—May 12—just around the corner, they hoped that these tokens of their hard work would convey their heartfelt wishes and gratitude to the nurses.

Kong Lingling, head nurse of wards 102 and 103 at Nanjing Zijin Hospital, said, “We were very surprised to receive such a gift—indeed, it is all the more precious. Activities like this in the rehabilitation department are truly beneficial. We make these items together with our patients, which strengthens our bond and helps us gain a deeper understanding of their needs.”