Hawking's death puts ALS patients in spotlight

Public awareness of the rare disease, known as 'gradual freezing', is growing in China, as Zhang Yi reports.The recent death of Stephen Hawking from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis had great resonance in China.

The British physicist was an icon in the country, not just because of his intellect and the visits he made, but also because he was an inspirational figure for Chinese people with ALS, a fatal illness.

Despite being given just a couple of years to live after being diagnosed at age 21, Hawking lived for another 55 years - becoming the world's longest-surviving ALS patient - married twice and had three children. While his body was in a wheelchair, his mind travelled the universe.