Yan Li, and her sister Yan Mi are skilled paper quilling artists from Baise, Guangxi. They have lived with thalassemia major since childhood. Yan Li discovered their diagnosis around the age of seven or eight. However, the medical treatment put significant financial strain on the family, as the costs were not subsidised. With limited resources, only one of them could receive medical care at a time. Yan Mi, being younger, was prioritised and began blood transfusions as early as two or three years old, while Yan Li started hers at seven or eight.

 

Before, Yan Li would buy a bottle of chelation pills, costing 700–900 RMB, which lasted only six days. Monthly medical expenses add up to at least 6,000–7,000 RMB. Thankfully, now the government provides subsidies for chelation pills and blood transfusions; the economic burden is greatly reduced.

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However, paper quilling art is far more challenging than we think, especially for a thalassemia patient who struggles with low energy due to insufficient haemoglobin. Every day, Yan Li gets injections, and she works on her artwork whenever she is free. A small piece of work will take a week, whilst larger ones take two or three months. During her 12-hour injection, her hands are immobilised, and this greatly extends the time to complete her work. Despite this, Yan Li is determined to attach paper strips one by one to make sure the symmetry is as perfect as possible.