China sets up fund to help people with brittle bone disease

BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- A charity fund was set up here Saturday to aid patients with Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), often known as brittle bone disease.

The fund, "China-Dolls care and Support Association", launched by the China Social Welfare Education Foundation (CSWEF), will focus on improving public knowledge of OI and other rare diseases, and providing social and legal assistance to patients and their families

The CSWEF said it had earmarked 100,000 yuan (14,000 U.S. dollars) to the fund and welcomed donations from various sectors.

The brittle bone disease is a genetic bone disorder. Fragile bones and bone deformities are among its clinical characteristics.

There are estimated five million OI patients in the world and the number for China is about 100,000.