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Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 13th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2010> Spinal Muscular Atrophic King of Go─Li Kuan-Lin
Coming Out From Spinal Muscular Atrophy ‧ Brightening an Optimistic Life
      Li Kuan-Lin, a graduating junior high school student of Keelung Municipal Anle Senior High School, was diagnosed Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) when he was still unable to walk at one year and seven months old. From then on, he has been staying on his wheel chair, and visited a hospital often. Even under the meticulous care of his parents, Li Ming-Shen and Lai Xiu-Chun, both of them are primary school teachers, Kuan-Lin still need to go to the hospital after school since his kindergarten graduation. His indomitable character makes him a model student both in study and in behaviour. He received a presidential award when he graduated from Anle Primary School , and he had always been one of the best three students of the school throughout his junior high school study. He is now studying in Anle Senior High School . He had also won first prizes in mathematics and English competitions, and even in national open contests of Go. Since he obtained level-6 of amateur in Go without receiving any training from anyone. People thus nicknamed him “SMA King of Go”.
      The following is his autobiography.
 
•  Always Pursuing Perfection ‧ Never Give Up
      I always set a very high standard for myself, and always pursue perfection. My blood type is AB, and my horoscope is Virgins. If someone did something better than I did, no matter what, I will always find a way to do better than s/he does next time. This is my never-give-up personality.
      For my family, I am an indomitable, stubborn, and fastidious person. My mother said that when I was two years old, I was still able to walk with something supporting me. One time I wanted to take a bottle of water up stair but did not allow my mother to help me. No matter what she said to me, I just did not listen. Later my mother took the bottle of water up stair, and then I became angry and did not go to my room to take a nap. Again, despite everything my mother said to me, I did not listen. Later I kept nodding in front of my room.
      For my teachers, I am an indomitable, strong-minded, stubborn, and well-behave student. When there was an in-class game that my teacher thought I was unable to join so that she let me watch beside, I would not give up. I would suggest the teacher that I could play in a certain way, and ask a classmate to substitute me so that I would give the order for my classmate to follow. For my classmates, I am also a optimistic student excellent in study who is earnest in handling tasks.
 
•  I am similar to a normal person
      I often traveled with my family when I was a child, and that made me feel like a normal person. But sometime there were still some annoying comments. Some adults said to my parents, “He is not that young, why are you still carrying him?” or “Why are you still sitting in the cart?” My parents usually ignored them, but they still hurt my feeling. My parent would then tell me not to be sad, and that the reason why those persons said so was that I looked just like a normal person. I would then become happy.
      Since my childhood people have been taking great care of me; I got whatever I wanted. This made me feel like a normal person, so I am rather optimistic and is able to face problems and challenges bravely. My parents often told me that I must be earnest in handling tasks, and be a useful person! People like Helen A. Keller, Lena Maria , and Xie Kun-Shan are all disabled persons, but they can live a colorful life. I must live like they do and brighten my life!
 
•  Curing Himself and Others ‧ Determined to R esearch on Genetic Therapy
      Since my condition is still not treatable, my parents brought me to various doctors of Chinese medicine and Western medicine both from the North and the South of Taiwan. He even appealed to divination. He did all these just to let me be able to walk. As a result, I have always been taking medicines.
      When I was in the second year of my primary school study, I started to go to Kaohsiung Medical University to be a white mouse. Each time last for half to one year, and each month during an experiment I had to fly to Kaohsiung . I took part in these experiments for several times, but none of them succeeded. In Kaohsiung I saw many who, like me, have SMA. Some of them were in conditions better than mine; they were still able to walk. But some others were in conditions even worse than mine; they could not even sit and move their fingers, they had to lie down. The most serious patients needed intubation already, which made one worry just to look at them. If no new medicine is available, eventually I will be just like them. Dr. Kao told me that people with SMA are particularly smart. Some of the patients there were students of, and some of them were graduate students of National Taiwan University . There were also some patients very successful in their career. They shared a common feature, that is, they were all very earnest in doing their tasks, and would not give themselves up to fate. I want to be like them and become an earnest person. I want to study in Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School , and then National Taiwan University , since they are the best school and university in Taiwan .
      Since the lungs of patients with SMA do not function well, it will cause a lot of trouble if they get a cold. If they are unable to cough up the phlegm, they will easily get pneumonia. I went to the hospital twice because of this. So whenever I get a cold, my parent will become worry.
      Recently in my course on natural science, teacher taught us about gene. I am very interested in that, for my doctor told me that my condition is caused by genetic problem. I asked my family, then, which pair of gene is problematic. My mother does not know. But I think the medicine nowadays is so advanced, then why is there no way to cure my condition? My mother told me to work hard, and perhaps one day I can invent a way in genetic therapy to cure my condition. So I must work hard to become an expert in this field, so that I can also help other patients.
 
•  Kuan-Lin Can, So Can You.
      My study in school is more difficult than others'. I have to sit all day and my back always hurts. I do not have enough stamina to. When I was in junior high school, my scoliosis was serious. I was exhausted every day when I went home. I had to take a nap first; in the evening I had to go to back at ten. I had less time to study, so I had to be more concentrate to excel others.
      When I was five, I studied in a big class of Anle Kindergarten. I couldn't speak mandarin; I could not understand the teachers. Since I was afraid of people I did not know, I complained that I want to go home. My teacher had always carried me in class; my classmates went to learn Taiwanese in order to play with me. I was acquainted with many friends and teachers who took care of me a lot.
      I was in the first year of primary school when I was six. Since I were not familiar with phonetic alphabet, I had to learned the most basic alphabets while my classmate were already able to speak very fluent mandarin; some of them could read A Little Beggar . Due to my indomitable character, two months later I was able to catch up with my classmates.
      In the second semester of my first year in primary school, I managed to become one of the best students in my class. From then on, I had always been an excellent student. In my third year I became a model student for the first time, and I was, again, a model student in the fifth and sixth year. In the sixth year I was even awarded and praised by the mayor!
      In my primary school years all the teacher and classmates treated me very well. They helped me with all the things I could not do myself, such as pushing my wheel chair, packing my school bag, filling a bowl of rice for me, playing ball with me, and chatting with me. I had a lot of good friend. Of course, I would help my classmates too, I helped them study.
      In music courses, our teacher taught us to play a recorder. Since my lung capacity was low, and I did not have nimble fingers, I was not able to play fluently. My teacher soothed me and gave me an easier score, and told me that it would be enough to do my best. But I did not give up, and insisted that I had to learn the one which others were learning. After I paid a lot of effort, I could play the recorder fluently too, and I was able to play it together with my classmates. Therefore my teacher often mentioned me to encourage other classmates.
      Computer courses were challenges to me too. Because besides basic computer knowledge, my teacher also required us to practice on both English and Chinese input. He also set a minimum standard on words per second. This worried me a lot, for my hands did not have much strength, my hands could not move fast enough. Although my fingers were not nimble, after I practiced a lot, I could type fast too. The teacher often said to other classmates that, Kuan-Lin could do it, so could they!
      In my fifth year in primary school, I had an electric-powered wheelchair finally. I could go in and out of the classroom by myself. During the breaks, I could go to the corridor and watch my classmates play ball. Sometimes, I could even join them to play extra-light ball.
      Everything was fine when I was studying in Anle High School . However, Keelung has a lot of hills and the school is built on one of them; so there were a lot of stair in the school, which caused me a lot of trouble. Although I had an electric-powered wheelchair, I could not go anywhere except the toilet. Each time I needed to go to the special classroom, I needed a lot of people to help me: some of them carried me, some others brought my textbooks, while some others carried my wheelchair. I feel embarrassed about this. However, the biggest challenge is to go to the activity centre. The slope is more than 45 degree; I needed several classmates to push me up, for my wheelchair was not powerful enough. My teachers and classmates treated me very well, they helped me carry my books and pack my school bag, as well as played Go and chatted with me. I was very glad that they were there. But my stamina was really not good. In my high school study I had a lot of homework to do, when I arrived home after school, it was usually later than 5 o'clock. My scoliosis was very serious, I had to rest on my bed once I returned home. My family had to help me adjust my posture even when I sit down, to prevent me from falling and leaning on one side. Since my lack of physical strength plus my fond of surfing on the internet and playing Go, I had less time to study; so I had to be more concentrated in class.
      Since my performance in school was not bad, my classmates often came to ask me question, and I was happy to be able to help them. They even nominated me to be the chief of environmental protection! But since the handicap of my mobility, I could not serve them. Therefore I refused the nomination. I even obtained many awards during those three years in Anle High School !
 
•  Determined to be a Professional Go Player
      Under the direction of my teacher Mr Chen, I can write good calligraphy. My hands did not have strength, my hands shivered when I held a writing brush. But after my efforts and my insistence, finally I could write good calligraphy. I was awarded the third prize in a contest of the school when I was in fifth grade!
      Drawing is also my hobby; I wanted to be a painter before. My teachers told me my paintings were good, my parents also agreed to bring me to Taipei to learn painting. But later I was fascinated by Go, and enter the world of Go.
      Go is now my favourite hobby. In the primary school I saw my classmates played Go, and I thought it was fun. But later my classmates could no longer compete with me, and then I asked my parents to take me to Go lessons. They brought me to Taipei to learn Go once a week, and it has been four years since then. No matter how tired I am, as long as I can play Go, I will be invigorated. When I am tired from studying, playing Go is my best hobby. I read books and manual of Go when I was in primary school; I have read one or two hundred of such books. Perhaps it is because I loved it, I can remember all the records of the famous competitions between well-knows players. I advanced from level 2 to level 6 in Go rather smoothly. Although I am very interested in Go, my hands are still weak, and often my hands shivered a lot during the second half of a game. Once, my Go teacher saw this and asked me whether he should help him placing the stones. But I declined. I used my tired and shivering hands to keep on playing until the end. My teacher was touched, and often mentioned me as an example to encourage other classmates. He also told my parents that I already had the features a professional Go player needed: composedness, aggressiveness, and brilliance, only that I did not have enough physical strength, since a professional Go game sometimes takes more than four hours to finish, which exceed my physical capacity. In these four years I came to know a lot of friend, and some good players in Go. They are my targets, since I wish to be a professional Go player.
      I wish to be a professional Go player for a long time. I wanted to be a formal students in Go, but my parents told me that it was very difficult and my stamina could not support it. After many considerations I gave up the idea. But I still envy one of my classmates in the Go lesson. He was able to be a formal student in Go and ascended to group B before long. He can play as well as I do. Although I cannot became a formal student in Go, I still wish to be a professional Go player, I still play go once I have the time. I play it on the internet with some teachers from mainland China and other place. I still go to Taipei once in two weeks on Saturday to attend Go lesson and play Go with others. Those are the happiest day for me. I am waiting for the summer vacation. I want to participate in competitions and improve my skill, and continue my career in Go.
 
•  Li Kuan-Lin 's Awards and Honours
      In Primary School Period: 
      Excellent Student Scholarship for each semester (for the best three students in a class)
      Three times Model Student, Awarded by the Mayor at sixth grade
      Three times Highest Honour
      Many times of Poetry Award (memorized 60 Tang poems at a time)
      Third prize of calligraphy contest at fifth grade
      Cathay United Commercial Bank Drawing Contest nominated
      Presidential Award at graduation ceremony
      In Anle Junior High School period:
      First prize of Maths contest for 1-3 grade
      First prize of English contest for 1-3 grade
      Golden Plum Award for twelve times in six semesters (result of each subjects is higher than 90)
      Final result ranked third in the school 
      At the third year, ranked the first in the first time of the monthly test
      Taiwan Go Open Contest:
      2002 Champion of group F 2003 Second prize of group E, winner, and fifth of group D, fifth and seventh in group A 2004 Winner of lower level, third prize
      2005 The sixth in medium level
      2006 The second in high level
      2003 December promoted to the first level
      2004 June promoted to the second level
      2005 January promoted to the third level
      2005 March promoted to the fourth level
      2005 April promoted to the fifth level
      2006 July promoted to the sixth level
      2005 Received the Third Rare Illness Award in Excellence of Study
      2006 Received the Fourth Rare Illness Award in Excellence of Talent