Tang Mengdi is 12 centimeters taller this week than she was last week.

Her added height isn't the result of a growth spurt, it was caused by surgery to rectify her lateral bending spine.

She was one of seven children, all from needy families, to receive free surgeries from experts from the US Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Shanghai Children's Medical Center last week to fix their serious bending spines.

The cost is covered by a US fund and implants for the surgery were donated by DePuy Spine and Medtronic Sofamor Danek.

Tang, a 12-year-old Jiangsu Province native, had a spine that bent 120 degrees. She first showed symptoms of the syndrome two years ago and the condition deteriorated quickly.

An operation to fix the defect generally costs between 100,000 yuan (US$12,048) and 120,000 yuan.

"The 100,000 yuan is too expensive for our family," said Tang Zhibo, the girl's father who makes a living taking pictures for travelers in the city. "We are so pleased that she can undergo this charity surgery."

"Though I felt so painful after the surgery, I only cried once. The expectation of having a healthy body overwhelmed all suffering," his daughter said. "My spine is straight and my back is flat now."

Doctors said none of the patients encountered serious problems and they will all be discharged in the next couple of days.

"We hope to make this project a yearly event to help more sick children," said Dr Chen Bochang of Shanghai Children's orthopedics department. "This also provides a good opportunity for academic exchanges between doctors from home and abroad."

(Shanghai Daily July 12, 2005)