NGO helps epileptic boy realize racing dream in Zhejiang

An NGO helped an epileptic boy from eastern China realize his dream to ride a race car on an international circuit on Monday.

Yang Tao, 14, from Nantong, Jiangsu province, has had convulsions almost every four days since he was born and has to wear a helmet at all times to protect against head injuries.

He dropped out of school in the third grade of primary school and seldom plays with other children, usually staying at home.

Yet he has loved cars since he was little and long dreamed of racing them.
When workers at Childream, an NGO based in Hangzhou, learned about his ambition, they spent three months arranging for him to take a spin round Zhejiang Circuit in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province.

After some professional training on Monday morning, Yang rode in a car once driven by racing driver Jiang Tengyi and best-selling author and rally driver Han Han, traveling at speeds of up to 210 km/h.

"I felt like I was flying," Yang said afterward.

Xu Wenjun from Childream said, "Many NGOs offer financial aid to help children who are critically ill, but we feel it is equally important to give them spiritual support."