A lifelong guardian of children's breath

In 1987, she and several young medical workers opened an asthma clinic, using pulmonary function tests and long-term chronic disease management to follow each child closely.

Over the more than three decades, she has helped more than a dozen hospitals across China establish pediatric asthma clinics.

She has also led more than 30 academic conferences on childhood allergies, more than 20 summer and winter camps for children with asthma, and more than 10 fun sports days for them.

These efforts have trained clinicians and educated children and parents about asthma prevention and treatment.

Chen believes that moderate exercise helps control asthma early, and that letting children get close to nature and experience the world is far more meaningful than simply relying on medication after symptoms appear.

Now in her 90s, Chen is often urged by her husband, who worries that she may tire herself out, to spend less time on her phone and stop worrying so much.

She agrees, but in practice she cannot stop.

She said that if you help one doctor, you may help a whole group of children.

The feeling of being needed is deeply reassuring, she added.

CHINA DAILY