Right Two | Yang Xiaodong, Vice President of Shanghai Children’s Hospital
Right One | Zhu Yaping, Deputy Secretary-General of Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation
Left One | Liu Xiaodan, Founder of Firstred Capital (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
Left Two | Chen Yucai, Director of Neurology Department at Shanghai Children’s Hospital
Each child is an angel, and children with tic disorders are angels who love to move. People from all walks of life are joining forces to create a “peaceful city-state” for individuals with Tourette syndrome. On June 20, 2023, Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation Tourettopia Special Fund was officially established, and the public welfare project “Tourettopia Project” for children with tic disorders was launched.
The inauguration meeting of the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation Tourettopia Special Fund was held at Shanghai Children’s Hospital. Yang Xiaodong, Vice President of Shanghai Children’s Hospital, Zhu Yaping, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Liu Xiaodan, Founder of Firstred Capital (Beijing) Co., Ltd., and Chen Yucai, Director of Neurology Department at Shanghai Children’s Hospital, attended the event.
Children blinking constantly, wrinkling their noses, shrugging their shoulders, or making strange sounds… Many parents are unaware that these are symptoms of childhood tic disorders. Tic disorders (TD) are a relatively misunderstood condition, characterized by neurological and psychogenic disorders with tics as the main clinical manifestation, occurring primarily in childhood. Tourette syndrome, also known as multiple tic disorder, is a more severe subtype of TD that significantly impacts the physical and mental well-being of children. According to publicly available data, there are currently approximately 10 million children in China with tic disorders. Without timely detection, scientific intervention, and an inclusive environment, tic disorders can cause harm to children on multiple levels, including physiological, psychological, and social aspects.
With the support of the Firstred Capital (Beijing) Co., Ltd., the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation established Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation Tourettopia Special Fund, primarily dedicated to research, public education, and assistance programs for children with tic disorders. The fund aims to enhance society’s understanding, inclusiveness, and support for children with tic disorders.
“Tourettopia” means “a peaceful city-state for individuals with Tourette syndrome.” It combines the words “Tourette” and “Topia” in English, representing the vision of creating an optimistic, supportive environment for individuals with Tourette syndrome. The special fund will establish an inclusive and interactive community for children with tic disorders and their families, providing more opportunities for scientific diagnosis and treatment, and further helping them fully develop their potential and thrive.
During the launch event, the public welfare project “Tourettopia Project” supported by the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation Tourettopia Special Fund was officially announced. The project focuses on raising awareness and providing support for children with tic disorders, including Tourette syndrome, through expert lectures, informative articles, patient stories, and interactive exchanges. Additionally, free clinics will be organized to address the medical needs of affected children. The first clinic is scheduled to take place on July 16 this year.
Yang Xiaodong, Vice President of Shanghai Children’s Hospital, highly praised the strong social responsibility of the initiators of the Special Fund and shared the hospital’s latest progress and development plans in the field of pediatric neurological disorders.
Zhu Yaping, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation, clearly outlined the goals and mission of the Special Fund in her speech, and expressed the expectation that the “Tourettopia Project” public welfare project would forge a distinctive path in the field of tic disorder public welfare with the collective efforts of all parties involved, creating a remarkable brand.
Liu Xiaodan, Founder of Firstred Capital (Beijing) Co., Ltd., shared the story and future vision behind the establishment of the Special Fund, calling for more social forces to join the action of caring fo children with tic disorders.
Chen Yucai, Director of Neurology Department at Shanghai Children’s Hospital, provided a detailed introduction to the implementation plan and vision of the project. The attendees also engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as strengthening diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation services for children with tic disorders, raising public awareness of tic disorders, and establishing inclusive communities.
[Free Clinic Announcement]
The first free clinic of the “Love Angels” program by AnTuBang will be held at Shanghai Children’s Hospital on July 16th. Experts will be available for consultations, and a professional assessment of the severity (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale) will be provided to diagnosed children, along with treatment recommendations. As members of the AnTuBang Love Angels community, on July 19th (tentatively) from 16:00 to 18:00, you can enjoy a special appointment-free neurology outpatient clinic (registration and examination fees will be self-covered), where you can undergo an electroencephalogram (EEG) and relevant examinations on the same day.
[Introduction to Public Welfare Partners]
Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation
Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation is a public welfare foundation established in 1986 by the China Welfare Institute founded by Mme. Soong Ching Ling herself. Since its inception, the foundation has consistently adhered to Mme. Soong’s care for public welfare and has implemented projects and activities in education, culture, health and medicine and other socially sustainable fields to the benefit of needy people.
Children’s Hospital Of Shanghai
The Children’s Hospital of Shanghai is a third-level Grade A children’s hospital integrating medical care, health care, teaching, scientific research and rehabilitation. Its predecessor was the Shanghai Orphanage Hospital founded in 1937 by famous Chinese pediatrician Fu Wenshou and the founder of modern child nutrition, Su Zufei and other predecessors. In 1953, it was renamed the Children’s Hospital of Shanghai, China’s first children’s specialist hospital.The Department of Pediatric Neurology at the Children’s Hospital of Shanghai is the main implement department of this project. As an excellent specialist integrating research and clinical practice, it serves as the leading unit of the Cooperative Group of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Diseases in Children in China, the National Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Difficult Neurological Diseases, the Chinese SMA Diagnosis and Treatment Alliance Center, and the Neuroimmune Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Shanghai Children’s Hospital. In recent years, the Department of Neurology of our hospital has been dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of motor disorders and research work – gradually deepening through the establishment of a specialist outpatient clinic for motor disorders and undertaking clinical drug research tasks for motor disorders, publishing related SCI papers, and forming a set of treatment plans for motor disorders with few side effects and high patient satisfaction in long-term medical practice, which has been widely praised.
Firstred Capital
A pioneer in the Chinese market’s mergers and acquisitions, focusing on the incremental value of industrial integration and long-term support for outstanding entrepreneurs to help companies achieve leapfrog growth.
Special thanks to Shanghai El Mundo Brand Planning Co., Ltd. and Chengdu Acebrand Co., Ltd. for their philanthropic support in launching the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation Tourettopia Special Fund.