Chinese students gather in front of pancake seller with cancer-stricken woman and stand in long lines to buy food

Social media in China was so moved by the plight of a street food vendor whose wife was diagnosed with breast cancer that students near where he worked were prompted to form long lines at his stall to help him.

University students in China’s southeastern Fujian province flocked to 54-year-old Hu Weiguang’s flatbread stall near Fujian University of Technology in the provincial capital Fuzhou.

Hu is affectionately called “Uncle Flatbread” by students.

He and his 21-year-old son Hu Jiaming recently encountered queues more than 100 meters long formed by student customers.

Hu's situation attracted media attention, prompting him to receive even more help. Photo: FZ AvondnieuwsHu’s situation attracted media attention, prompting him to receive even more help. Photo: FZ Avondnieuws

It turned out that a student, Gao Ying, posted the news about Hu’s wife, Hu Guiyuan, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in August, on social media and called on other students to support his business.