'Big feet' boy may get chance to wear shoes

After years of anguish, the boy with "big feet" finally has a glimmer of hope of wearing shoes.

Xiao Meng, 14, from Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has suffered from a lesion in his feet since he was born, and his toes have grown bigger and bigger.

His family is unable to afford the cost of medical treatment to correct his condition.

Since October 2011, Xiao Meng's teachers have sought help for the boy, and many media outlets in China have reported on his plight.

So far, Shanghai Children's Hospital has promised to give Xiao Meng free treatment.

"We have already successfully completed an operation in a case very similar to Xiao Meng's," said Yang Xiaodong, a doctor at the hospital.

"The treatment will be divided into two phases. The first to is cut off the superfluous part. After half a year, the next stage is then to recover the function of his feet," Yang told eastday.com.

Xiao Meng's school has collected thousands of yuan for his treatment and living expenses in Shanghai, while Guangxi Branch of China Southern Airlines has provided free tickets for the boy and his family to travel to Shanghai.