GUANGDONG, South China — Above a dialysis clinic in Guangzhou, southern China’s Guangdong province, 67 kidney patients sew, iron and finish garments for customers in China and overseas. Many once worked as chefs, truck drivers or machine technicians before illness pushed them out of their jobs. Three times a week, they leave the factory floor for four hours of dialysis, then return to work.

The workshop was opened in 2023 by Xie Qiang, a retired oncologist who wanted patients to earn an income without hiding their condition. It offers routine, independence and a community of people living with the same illness. But it is also a business struggling to survive. Dialysis interrupts production, inexperienced workers make costly mistakes, and delayed orders threaten already narrow margins.

In June, Sixth Tone followed the workers, managers and Xie as they tried to keep the factory running. Their daily routines show how difficult it is to meet deadlines and maintain quality while making room for dialysis, fatigue and medical complications.

Additional reporting: Jiang Xinyi; story editors: Qi Ya and Apurva; script editors: Apurva and Wu Huiyuan.