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Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 8th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2005> Dr. Nano Wheelchair —Huang Hui-Chun
Challenge the impossible; Give powerful love
      Born 1978 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Huang Hui-Chun is currently in doctorate program of Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University. Her performance in studies and behavior at school is extraordinarily outstanding. Not only did she graduate the first in her classes when she studied in National Feng Shang Senior Commercial & Industrial Vocational School Department of Mold and Die, Far East Industrial College Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Southern Taiwan University of Technology Department of Mechanical Engineering Design and Mechanics, she also got into master’s program with the highest score in National Sun Yat-Sen University Institute of Materials Science and Engineering. 

       Yet, an unexpected turn had changed her life. On February 6, 2002, she lost both legs in an accident. Doctor told her that she would be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of her life. Since that moment, she has always been on a wheelchair. Her father, Huang Ming-Nan, said she was in semi-shock condition when he rushed to Tainan Chi Mei Medical Center from Kaohsiung the last minute she was sent into operation room. She reminded her father to “take care of mother” and then went into coma.

      The operation finally saved her; but rehabilitation process is still a long way for her. She used to feel sad and miserable, but she never gave up when she thought of her loving parents, teachers and classmates who accompany her along the way. She firmly believes “technology enables love”; therefore, she chooses to face her destiny with an optimistic open-mind and becomes “Optimistic Angel of Goodwill” in the hospital to help more patients face the challenge with courage. In addition, she is the “tomorrow’s nano heroine” of National Sun Yat-Sen University; she got honorary approval of her school work from professors in the department and had advanced to the doctorate program of Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University. She vowed that “she would maintain a perfect soul in her unfavorable body.” 

       Life comes to perfection because of imperfection. Hui-Chun was at the peak of her life when the accident happened and she nearly lost her life. She did not blame anybody (including the speeding truck driver who hit her). She faces every obstacles life has given her. She said: “Attitude decides everything”. Especially, the attitude to face setback is the key to decide whether one can accomplish something in life. This attitude may be as little as one billion of a meter [nanometer], but it brings about infinite energy of life.

      She was a courageous individual in the field of science and technology. After the accident, she has known many people who struggle with their destiny; then, she gradually appreciates “the meaning and value of life”. She understands that “technology is not absolutely powerful, but people have unlimited possibilities”. During the difficult process of rehabilitation, she applied the technological principles she was good at on herself plus optimism, patience and love from family and friends; the function of her left leg miraculously improved. Her persistence and optimism have made her the counselor in the hospital rehabilitation ward. She pledges to “do her best to help people with needs if she had the chance and abilities”. 

      Like “a bruised reed he will not break”, Hui-Chun has crossed through the obstacle of wheelchair. She advanced to the doctorate program of Institute of Materials Science and Engineering at National Sun Yat-Sen University, majoring in “nano technology”. Her academic advisors all agree that “she is going to be Taiwan’s first female outstanding figure in nano technology”. She indicates the twenty-first century is the century of nanometer, and “nano technology” will be something predictable and reachable. Nano technology, a proactive and integrated newly developed field of science from late 1980s to early 1990s, is showing its significant effect on economy, medicine, national defense and society in 21 century with the possible impact on next Industrial Revolution. According to statistics, the current application of nano technology in global market has created business volume of fifty billion U.S. dollars every year. This indicates, in 2010, the global nano technology market volume will reach 1440 billion U.S. dollars, equivalent to the annual GDP in France. It is, without a doubt, an inviting “super delicious cake”.

      Now, the major study is to add nano dust in certain materials, so called nano-modification, and decide whether it has properties different from regular materials and applications, for example, the effect of deodorization and disinfection when adding nano particles in chemical fiber and textile products. Nano materials in refrigerator and washing machine make antiseptic appliances possible. Other applications of nano technology include abacteria tableware, toys, gauze and mask. Nano powder can even be used to clarify waste water, which has extensive implication in environmental protection. Of course, nano medicine provides a gleam of hope in conquering difficult diseases. For example, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has invested 4.4 million U.S. dollars in supporting Becker’s research on cancer treatment using nano technology. Becker expects this effective technology will be in clinical trial within three years. 

      Nano technology may be used to build an aerosphere, similar with the one on Earth, in Mars. If nano medicine can extend life infinitely (a new cell is produced in molecules if old cell dies), the outer-space immigration may become possible. She expects that someday, by controlling nano structure, high-performance materials compatible with life forms may be produced and thus new generation of medical restoration and implant may be invented. For example, the surface of implant is molecule-designed or nano particle is applied on the surface of artificial organs. By interacting with human body, the materials can prevent rejection after a transplant; it may also help to absorb and combine original material in body fluid for regeneration of bones, nerves, skins and other deficiency of human organs and damaged tissue. Then, she and the people who suffer from similar disease can bid farewell to the wheelchair and stand up like Chou Ta-Kuan’s “I Still Have One Leg to travel around the world”.