This is from commenter Pete. If anyone can help answer his questions it will be deeply appreciated.
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In my wanderings around Sichuan two weekends ago I met up with a tragic situation. It is a 8 month old minority nationality (Li su) boy who has “water on the brain.” His cranium was the size of a football.

From what I could discern he had had no medical treatment or evaluation because the family was too poor. A long story shortened. I paid to take the boy from the village to the nearest hospital in Xichang. and paid to get him admitted for evaluation.

He is saveable, but needs medical treatment. It can’t be done in
Xichang, but can be done in Chengdu or Guangzhou, BJ.

For the family it is impossible. Cost estimates are 30,000-50,000RMB
for treatment, plus travel costs and accomodations for the parents,
maybe.

I have three questions.

Does anyone know or can find out if there are any free or extremely
reduced cost medical services for poor Chinese and especially a national minority person?

Anyone have connections with any generous medical facilities, foreign
or otherwise, that would do the treatment for free?

Would anyone join me in raising the money to pay whatever it takes to
get the boy treated?

I believe this situation was not a set up. I had gone out to the
countryside from Xichang by bus. I got off and started asking people if any Li people would like to sell me any of their authentic handmade trinkets or jewelry. A roadside fresh grape seller talked to a group of three Li people. They said they have somethings to sell at their house. So we four trudged off about a kilometer or more to their house. One woman was carrying a child on her back under a wrap. After a while they unwrapped this enormous head. Jeez, a big shock.

Their house was one room with 3 beds. The things they had to sell were not much, but they want big prices from the foreigner. I offered very low and they said they want the high prices to get treatment for the boy.

I found out after some inquiry the had never been to a doctor, at least that is what I think they told me. The boy can see and hear and make noises.

I told the mother, father and grandmother that I would pay a normal
price for the jewelry, a ring, but would pay to get the boy to the
hospital in Xichang and get him in for observation and evaluation.

Now I want to see he gets the treatment. Any good ideas, or suggestions?