Girl with cerebral palsy performs on stage for the first time

Zhang Junru, a 7-year-old girl from Southwest China's Chongqing who has inspired many people with her perseverance in mastering the ability to walk, made her first performance on stage, Guangming Daily reported.

Nicknamed Doudou, Zhang was born premature and suffered from hypoxia, or oxygen deficiency. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of two.

Her parents were told she would "never be able to stand up".

However, the family didn't give up. Yang Jianfeng, Doudou's mother, looked after her full-time and accompanied her to a therapy center in Chongqing. Doudou also showed her determination, insisting on the rehabilitation training every day despite having to endure the pain.

With her never-give-up attitude, Doudou gradually abandoned her wheelchair and learned how to walk when she turned 5, making a miracle recovery.

In August of last year, Zhang became a primary school student at Yucai Experimental School in Chongqing's Jiulongpo district. When her mother told her she was admitted by the primary school, Doudou said, with a mix of joy and relief, "I thought they didn't want me".

When a video clip capturing the moment was posted online, netizens were deeply moved by Doudou's reaction.

On her first day of school, Doudou walked into her classroom with a smile on her face. For her convenience, Yang was allowed to accompany her daughter to school for a while and a restroom with accessible handrails was also set up for Doudou.

The teachers and her classmates also rallied around Doudou and showed how they cared for her.

Now, four months later, Doudou gave her first performance on stage, along with her classmates, at a community New Year celebration.

Yang said that being able to perform on stage was an unexpected surprise for both her daughter and herself. She practiced with her daughter and cheered for her backstage before the performance, and Doudou replied with a fist pump and a bright smile.

"Believe in the power of belief. Nothing is impossible as long as you work hard!" said Yang.

Seeing the girl's smile, many netizens praised the parents and school's efforts in raising such a confident child, and wished their best for Zhang's future development.