Cai Lei's final battle
Chinese businessman Cai Lei denies claims that his relentless efforts to research and fund amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are merely an attempt to save his own life, stating that his "last entrepreneurial venture" is a mission to find a cure that could save tens of thousands of patients suffering from this debilitating disease. When the body becomes a cage and the mind remains free, a person faces a choice: give up or fight. Cai Lei, former vice president of Chinese e‑commerce giant JD Group, chose the latter – and his battle has lasted six years. An ALS diagnosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that slowly but inexorably strips away muscle control, did not break his will. Instead of waiting for the end, he launched a crusade – not for his own life, as sceptics whisper, but for the lives of tens of thousands who, like him, have received a death sentence. Cai Lei is building bridges between laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and patients, creating an ecosystem of hope. And when his fingers no longer obey and his voice is heard only through eye‑tracking technology, he continues to type for 17 hours a day – because he knows that every hour could be someone's chance to live.
Cai, a former vice president of Chinese e‑commerce giant JD Group, was diagnosed with ALS in 2019 – a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As one of the most prominent public figures in the country living with the disease, the 48‑year‑old is racing against time in his quest for a cure. Instead of succumbing to despair after his diagnosis, Cai chose a path few believed in: uniting capital, laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and patients to conduct scientific research. Faced with a severe shortage of medical data, he built a big‑data research platform that now connects more than 20,000 ALS patients worldwide, and he urges other patients to donate their bodies and spinal cord tissue to leave vital medical samples for science. Despite his deteriorating physical condition, Cai spends up to 17 hours a day typing with his right hand to coordinate his efforts, while his wife brings him meals to his office. Now fully paralysed and unable to speak, Cai communicates with the world through advanced eye‑tracking technology that can reproduce his voice.
In a moving interview with China Media Group (CMG), Cai spoke about the harsh reality of his condition but said he felt motivated to do everything possible to help others suffering from the disease. "I often think about death, because I have seen more than 1,000 of my fellow patients die. Yet every day I throw myself into my work. Some people think that I work so hard – doing research, seeking funding – because I am trying to save my own life. But five years ago in an interview I already said: what I am doing may not be self‑preservation, but self‑destruction. When you are seriously ill, what you need most is rest, care for your body. But I have to do this. The development of these drugs was never about saving myself. It is about saving the tens of thousands of patients who are waiting for death in despair," he said. Acknowledging the grim reality of his illness, Cai remains utterly focused on the legacy he hopes to leave behind. When asked about his vision for the future, he offered a moving and selfless perspective. "So when you ask me about the future, my answer is this: in the future, I may not be here. But that simply doesn't matter. As long as this drug reaches the market on time, as long as we break through the ALS iceberg – so that those patients who were once handed a death sentence can now hold on to hope – that is the future I want. Even if I fall into the darkness before dawn, I will make sure this road is paved, so that the patients who come after me can stand on my shoulders and step into the sunlight," he said.
Though his body is increasingly confined to a small space, Cai's mind never stops moving. He cherishes a tender, concrete dream: to create an "embodied AI avatar" of himself, to visit his colleagues, accompany his wife and child, and speak with his mother. His profile picture on the popular Chinese app WeChat shows a Chinese mythological hero, the "Monkey King," sitting cross‑legged in armour. He said this has become his spiritual idol, the embodiment of his core creed: instead of waiting for death, fight; even if victory seems impossible, never give up.
Over the years of fighting the disease, Cai Lei has become a symbol of hope for thousands of patients worldwide. His initiative has united leading research institutes in China, the US and Europe, and the data platform he created has already led to several breakthroughs in understanding the mechanisms of ALS. He has turned a personal tragedy into systematic work – from collecting biological samples to clinical trials. His approach, combining entrepreneurial savvy and deep humanity, has inspired many scientists and investors to join the fight. Even as his own body fails him day by day, he continues to manage projects, read scientific papers and participate in international conferences through a voice interface. For patients who have lost hope, he is living proof that even in the darkest circumstances, one can remain a light for others.
As CCTV+ reports, Cai Lei's story is not just a tale of battling a disease, but a manifesto of human will capable of turning personal despair into shared salvation, and his motto "instead of waiting for death, fight" has already inspired thousands around the world not to give up, even when victory seems impossible.
