On August 15, a neatly written, elegant letter of thanks was handed to the medical staff of Ward 102 at Nanjing Zijin Hospital. In its more than one thousand characters, the letter brimmed with gratitude: “With great emotion, I wish to express my profound appreciation to your hospital, especially to Dr. Pan Xingming and all the healthcare professionals on the second floor. During my month-long stay, they alleviated my suffering with selfless compassion and noble professional ethics. Every word they spoke, every action they took, embodied the true spirit of contemporary physicians…”

The letter writer, Ms. Li, reports that her husband, Mr. Shang, is receiving treatment in Ward 102 at Nanjing Zijin Hospital. The couple resides in Caoyankou Town, Jianhu County, Jiangsu Province. Mr. Shang, who is 26 years old this year, married and started a family after graduating from university, with his career just beginning. During the 2017 Spring Festival—a time that should have been a joyful occasion for family reunion—he suddenly collapsed at home while eating. Subsequent hospital examinations revealed a pituitary tumor, and he was subsequently transferred to Nanjing, where he underwent multiple surgeries.

According to attending physician Pan Xingming, when Mr. Shang was transferred to Nanjing Zijin Hospital, he was in a minimally conscious state, unable to perform any purposeful commands, and presented with multiple complex symptoms. Following comprehensive treatment, by August 16, his condition had stabilized; he could now follow verbal instructions, had resumed speech, and exhibited good responsiveness. The severe pulmonary infection, hypernatremia, and diabetes insipidus that had been present upon admission had all resolved.

Beyond scientific treatment and care, the patients’ families are also deeply moved by the medical staff’s professional ethics and character. The letter reads: “When family members were discouraged, you gave them courage; when they were joyful, you offered warm smiles; and when they were weary, you extended a helping hand. I hope to keep these kind and caring gestures close to my heart, and to pass on your kindness and your warmth to others…”

Such praise stems from the everyday words and actions of the medical staff. On one occasion, during the routine evening shift handover, Nurse Xie Lingyu was turning Patient Mr. Shang in his bed and changing his sheets when a thick, yellow, sticky sputum splattered directly onto the area just below her collar, nearly landing on her face. As a young nurse, Xie Lingyu showed no sign of embarrassment or disgust; instead, she calmly continued turning the patient, changing the sheets, and suctioning his secretions, only stepping out of the room once everything was done to attend to the sputum stains on her uniform. Witnessing this scene, the patient’s wife, Ms. Li, was deeply moved.

Mr. Shang was born in a rural village to farming parents. After falling ill, he underwent multiple surgeries, which cost over 300,000 yuan and left his already modest family even more financially strained. To address his urgent needs, Mr. Shang’s relatives launched an online crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for his treatment. Upon learning of the situation, medical staff at Nanjing Zijin Hospital rallied to offer their support. Though most of them did not know him personally, they donated and shared the campaign link on WeChat, urging their friends and family to join in with acts of kindness.

Following treatment, Mr. Shang has now passed through the most critical phase. As of August 15, his vital signs were stable, and his family decided to discharge him. Before leaving the hospital, Mr. Shang’s wife, Ms. Li, poured her heartfelt gratitude—accumulated over the past few days—into writing this letter of thanks, which she personally presented to the head nurse of Ward 102.