It was Chai Jingfu's 80th birthday party and it pulled in a large mixture of family and friends to her in the city of Changchun, Jilin province, including a group of "left-behind" children for whom "Grandma Chai" provided financial aid and other care over the past couple of years.

They came to present their best wishes.

During her 35-years of her working life, Chai was an obstetrician at a hospital in Changchun, where she helped to save the lives of many women and newborns. Then, after she retired, she decided to focus her attention purely on children, especially those that had been left-behind to care for themselves, by parents who had gone off looking for work in faraway cities, many of them in southern boomtowns.

Chai Jingfu, 80, addressing guests at her birthday party, in Changchun, Jilin province. [Photo provided to ejilin.gov.cn]

So, Chai put all her time and effort into caring for these children's education and lives over many years, then added cash donations to her care. And, at the birthday party, when asked to make a wish, she told the guests simple, "I've saved many newborn lives and now they've grown up to be outstanding young people and are here to celebrate my birthday and I hope they can help more left-behind children. That's my only wish."

Many members of Changchun charities joined the birthday celebration, for example, Yin Baojun, who came to say that "Grandma Chai", who has helped left-behind children through funds and other means, "has inspired and encouraged us through her work".

Guests being encouraged to donate to a local charity to help left-behind children.