Wu Dianbao, a 35-year-old farmer from Central China's Hubei Province, has at least two things in common with NBA superstar Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

They are both HIV positive and are both leading positive lives.

Magic Johnson earned millions of US dollars playing basketball, and has enjoyed the best medical insurance and treatment available.

Wu supports his family by planting watermelons, breeding pigs and doing other odd jobs in a small village.

Farmer Wu also gets free anti-virus medicines provided by the government, although there are only five types of medicines available to him. But according to Wu, that is enough.

Just as Magic Johnson has been promoting HIV/AIDS awareness in a series of public service announcements with Yao Ming, Wu has often been invited to tell others about how he has regained his confidence.

A decade ago, Wu went to sell blood at a so-called blood station, which was very popular in places such as Henan, Shanxi, Anhui and Sichuan at that time.

Selling blood allowed Wu to get "rich" and married later.

His daughter was born in 1999, when the government closed illegal blood stations that had been spreading the HIV virus because of lax safety measures.

At the time Wu had no idea he had been infected.

Four years ago he became very weak and often caught colds. He had to spend almost all of his money on treatment.

In July 2003 he became so ill the village doctor told his family to prepare for his funeral.

Doctors from the disease control centre of the city of Daye brought the news to him, though fortunately blood tests showed Wu's wife and daughter were HIV negative.

"I really wanted to kill myself when I heard the news," Wu recalled. "My parents are more than 60 years old. My grandmother is aged 80. My wife has poor sight and my daughter is only 4 years old. They all depend on me."

Wu began to receive free anti-virus medicines from the government. Every month he is given 60 yuan (US$7.4) and he no longer has to pay tax on his harvest or his daughter's school fees.

Wu worried about his debts and inability to do heavy farm work.

Daye city agricultural experts suggested he plant watermelons. The health authority provided him with seeds and fertilizer.

With the help of the government and his neighbours, Wu harvested a crop of watermelons in the summer of 2004. He took his produce to the market, but failed to sell a single watermelon on the first day.

"Locals know I am an HIV/AIDS carrier, and might have been so scared that they did not want to buy my watermelons," Wu said.

Gui Xi'en, a well-known expert from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University based in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei, visited Wu's village.

It was Gui that first carried out HIV tests in villages in Henan in 1997, revealing the HIV/AIDS epidemic caused by selling blood.

Gui heard of Wu's predicament so bought many watermelons for his students back in Wuhan.

The media soon picked up the story and sales took off, eventually netting Wu more than 2,000 yuan (US$240).

"I really wanted to have a big meal after I got so much money," Wu said. "But I could not because I wanted to develop my business with the money."

Wu started breeding pigs with support from the local government, and has cleared his debts.

In March, Wu formed an HIV/AIDs farm business support group with 12 members. "I regained the feeling of being a good son, husband, father and a confident citizen," he said.

(China Daily December 21, 2005)