Su Rong spreads disinfectant in the corridor.

Su Rong is secretary of the general Party branch of Changchun, a community in Xuhui, a district in Shanghai. During the past 19 years, she has provided (more than 300 hours every year) voluntary services to residents of six communities. "My sense of fulfillment and happiness grows stronger as I try my best to do small things to help residents live better lives," says Su.

In January 2020, Su learned an elderly woman, who lived in Changchun, had been diagnosed with COVID -19. The woman had been to Wuhan (capital of Central China's Hubei Province), the epidemic center in the country at that time. The woman's husband, who was believed to have also been afflicted with the virus, was kept in the hospital for observation. The woman lived with her daughter, Xiao Hu, and her seven-year-old grandchild.

Su frequently visited the hospital, in which the woman received treatment, to learn about the woman's needs. To comfort Xiao Hu, Su chatted, during phone calls, with her during the daytime. At night, Su spread disinfectant throughout the corridor, and she delivered daily necessities to Xiao Hu. Sometimes, Su chatted with Xiao Hu and her child. She also sang songs to them. Su's heartwarming, loving gestures had a soothing effect on the mother and her child.

Although she feared she and other residents might be infected with the virus, Su remained coolheaded and highly absorbed in her anti-epidemic work. Like a "guardian angel" of the community, she has led 132 volunteers in helping residents prevent the epidemic.

Su keeps a diary, in which she records her daily work and summarizes her work-related experiences. She hopes her diary will become a source of reference for her colleagues, especially as they conduct work in the community.

During the past 19 years, Su has worked as a cadre with the neighborhood committees of several communities. She has remained committed to helping residents resolve both trivial and major problems in their lives.

"I can never thank Su enough. My daughter was working abroad when I had surgery (several years ago). Su looked after me during the following two months," recalls Cheng Xiuying, a local resident.

One evening, after she learned an elderly resident, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease (the most common form of dementia, and a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation), was lost, Su immediately reported the case to the police. She also arranged for all workers with the neighborhood committee to look for the elderly resident. The workers found the elderly resident at midnight.

As head of a volunteers' group in the community, Su during the past several years has led the group's members in helping and caring for elderly and/or disabled residents. The members have provided various services, including cutting residents' hair and repairing umbrellas and watches. By trying their best to handle the seemingly trifle matters well, Su and the members have passed on the volunteers' spirit of "dedication , fraternity, mutual assistance and progress."

Photo Supplied by the Interviewee

(Women of China English Monthly December 2021 issue)