by Xinhua writers Zhao Xuetong and Ma Xiaoran

FUZHOU, April 21 (Xinhua) -- After struggling for months, Chen finally quit his full-time job at a printing house in the eastern Chinese city of Fuzhou, Fujian Province, and joined a team of part-time air conditioner cleaners. They all have one thing in common: they are fathers of leukemia-stricken children.

Members of the team had to give up their previous steady jobs as their daughter or son, diagnosed with leukemia, required immediate and time-consuming chemotherapy, medication, and intensive nursing.

Chen, whose 7-year-old son has been a leukemia patient since 2019, said one round of treatment usually takes two to three years, so the new job opportunity allows him and his wife to take turns taking care of the young patient while ensuring a source of income.

Starting from seven members three years ago, the cleaning crew now consists of 11 dads and receives about 100 orders every day, with each member assigned 10 to 20 orders. It means a daily income of 200 to 500 yuan (31 to 77 U.S. dollars).

"We don't have the money to advertise our service, and orders just pour in because good-hearted people trust us and introduce us to their friends," said Wei, a founding member of the team.

The kindness of strangers is always rewarded with professional and first-rate service. Thoroughly cleaning an air conditioner can help maintain fresh indoor air so that fewer people will get ill due to air pollution, said Wei, who learned from a doctor that the environment might be a cause of leukemia.

Fathers also named their team "Iron Man," Wei said. He explained that Iron Man is the favorite superhero of his son, and he hopes parents like himself could unite to support their children to fight the disease.

Huang, another originator and now in charge of the team, said the orders are taken by members voluntarily via the instant messaging app WeChat, and alternative workers would fill a vacancy if a member has to take their child to the hospital.

Huang's 9-year-old son fell ill in 2017 but has returned to school thanks to a gradual recovery after treatment.

Huang said apart from the job, local subsidies for low-income households and aid from civil affairs authorities for families facing financial difficulties also support him to pay for the expensive treatment.

Also, with the assistance of the Fujian Anti-poverty Charity Association, a housekeeping service company was set up, and each dad has been covered with medical insurance to guarantee their health.

Wei said he would offer free services for non-profit organizations and people with disabilities to repay the favor he has received.

As more people read their stories and reach out to them, Huang said they would not accept donations but orders to clean air conditioners. "We would like to do something we are capable of to make a living and help others," he said.

"They are more admirable than superheroes because they can do heroic undertakings without superpowers," said a comment following an online report covering their stories. Enditem

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