Updated info about Yang Dong, from someone who personally knows her:
Yang Dong is 12 and a half, and will age out of the program in 18 months, she is aware of this too. She has spina bifida, uses a wheelchair and is studying grade 4 in local school - and doing well. She is confident, articulate and happy. As Yang Dong is on the adoption program myself and one of our teachers that has lived abroad in another culture took some time to really talk to her about adoption this week. Yang Dong already has a degree of understanding that adoption to another culture and language would be difficult (she is used to playing and being around non-speaking foreign people that come to the centre on short term teams), however, she has stated that she would like to have a family, and that she would like to go abroad. She is willing to work to overcome language difficulties for that. She is also aware that education, future jobs and life in a place like the USA would be easier for her than in China where wheelchair uses are still not supported well.
She transfers herself (in and out of the chair) and is completely independent in her self care, in fact, she can climb stairs on her own.
I wanted to pass this on and ask that you pass this information on to advocacy groups as we are all aware that time is running out for her.
Thanks
K.
Yang Dong is on the shared list