Zhu Yanna is interviewed by China News Service. (Photo: China News Service)

A woman in Zhejiang Province ate five meals a day so she could help a young stranger suffering from a serious illness.

Several months ago, Zhu Yanna received a request to donate blood stem cells to help a sick teenager. But after deciding to help the young man, her doctor told her that because she weighed less than 50 kilos she had to gain weight before the donation.

Zhu set her mind to the task, eating five meals a day to put on eight kilos in just two months.

Her family worried that the donation would negatively impact her health. But she said, "Even if there are some risks, it's worth it to save a life."

After the donation, the teenager wrote to Zhu to express his gratitude for her generosity. "My parents gave me my first life, and you gave me a second life," he said.