Mengjun, a 28-year-old survivor of the 2011 Wenzhou high-speed train collision, is finding healing from post-traumatic stress disorder through volunteering [1, 2].
Her journey highlights the long-term psychological impact of major disasters and the role of altruism in recovering from childhood trauma.
The collision occurred on July 23, 2011 [1], when Mengjun was 13 years old [2]. She was traveling from Hangzhou to Fuzhou when the high-speed railway accident took place near Wenzhou in Zhejiang province [1, 2].
For years, the survivor dealt with the aftermath of the crash. Mengjun said, "I am the ‘one unlucky person in 30,000’ in China" [1].
To cope with her PTSD, Mengjun began volunteering to support patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [1, 2]. By helping others navigate their own health crises, she seeks to provide hope to IBD patients, and while processing her own past [1, 2].
This form of service has become a primary mechanism for her personal recovery. She is now 28 years old and continues to use her experience to assist others in their struggle with chronic illness [1].
“"I am the ‘one unlucky person in 30,000’ in China."”
This story illustrates the concept of post-traumatic growth, where individuals use a devastating experience to develop a deeper sense of empathy and purpose. By transitioning from a victim of a national disaster to a support system for the chronically ill, the survivor demonstrates how community service can serve as a therapeutic tool for long-term PTSD recovery.
