Help pours in after ill mom's urgent plea

The heart-wrenchcing case of cancer patient Liu Fulan and her two sons has taken a turn for the better after their story spread on the internet and kind-hearted people extended helping hands.

Life for Liu, 42, from Chaling county in Hunan province, has not been easy. Her husband died of liver cancer in 2008, leaving her with two sons and more than 100,000 yuan ($14,800) in debt. Her parents and parents-in-law are all gone.

Liu struggled to make ends meet, earning about 1,200 yuan a month, working three shifts a day, seven days a week in a restaurant, washing dishes and cleaning tables.