Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) announced Wednesday to allocate 1.3 million yuan (US$176,000 ) to help 50 children with leukemia from needy families.

The donation will be used to cover surgeries and therapy fees of the 50 children, who are chosen by a special panel of the foundation basing on the gravity of illness and their family conditions, according to the CRCF.

Currently, China has more than 4 million leukemia patients and the number increases at around 30,000 every year. Half of the leukemia patients are children, especially those aged 2 to 7, according to the CRCF.

leukemia is beyond the scope of commercial and social basic medical insurance in China, and most common Chinese family can not afford the expensive medical treatment.

The CRCF set up China's first special relief fund for leukemia children, known as the Little Angel Fund, in June 2005, to provide financial assistance for families in need.

By the end of October, the fund had raised 11.49 million yuan (US$1.56 million) worth of donation from home and abroad and assisted 460 children with leukemia.

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2007)