A young man is helping his girlfriend overcome a paralyzing disability and realize her travel dreams by pulling her wheelchair across China.

Ding Yizhou set off from Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Saturday towing his girlfriend Lai Min with his bike and the help of their dog on what he estimates could be a three-year trek across southern China.

Their planned route, which on a map resembles a heart shape, includes stops in Changsha, Hunan Province and Wuhan, Hubei Province before reaching westward to Sichuan Province.

"If there's anyone worried about this trip, it's my mom. But I hope she can understand us and bless our love for each other," said Ding.

Lai suffers from cerebellar ataxia, a condition that affects the nervous system and muscle coordination. But the disease has not stifled her wanderlust and positive outlook.

"If you believe in good things, they will come to you," said Lai.

Ding said that he made the "crazy" and "romantic" travel plan over two months, but their 700-yuan budget ($115) forced him to get creative about transport.

The couple's dog also pulls its weight by helping tow Lai's chair.

Ding explained he had originally trained two dogs to pull the wheelchair like a sled, but one was poisoned by a dog thief just weeks before their departure.

A stylist by trade, Ding said he would earn extra money on the road by cutting hair.

Nanguo Jinbao