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Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 9th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2006> Wheelchair rooster king--Chen Chuan-Hung
As long as you live, there is hope.
      Chen Chuan-Hung is in charge of Hope Ranch. He used to be a contractor for construction and engineering work. On December 28, 1993 when he was directing workers to rush through at around 11 in the morning, the reinforced concrete suddenly fell down on his back and then he dropped to the ground from the fourth floor. It was a miracle that he did not die from the fall; however, the major injury on the fourth to sixth cervical vertebra caused paralysis of the entire body and almost became the vegetation status. He used to attempt suicide for five times; eventually, his wife left him without saying goodbye.

       From the eyes of three little kids, he saw his responsibility and value of his life. In an instant, he changed his mind and decided that life should be cherished. We need to work hard to survive since death is not an option. Although his health is frail, he built up a “Hope Ranch” to raise 20 thousand chickens using his long-time professional knowledge in construction. He and three little kids organized “Hope Workshop” and “Minority Group Love Alliance” to help people with physical disability stand up and walk. He has become the testimony of chicken farm king in “As long as you live, there is hope”. He lives the dignity of life, creates hopes of life and encourage minority group of people; he deserves to be called “wheelchair chicken farm king”.

      Born 1966 in Hsinchu, Chen Chuan-Hung is now in charge of the “Hope Ranch”. An industrial accident in 1993 forced him into a coma for several days and his wife leaving without saying goodbye. After he waked up, he could not stand the pressure; then he tried to commit suicide by biting off injection tube. He was saved by family and friends when they found out in time. To be extremely discouraged, he saw his parents were taking care of his youngest child and he thought he could not let his aging parents raising three little kids. “I cannot be so selfish”, a voice tells him in his mind. He was reminded his responsibility and the will of survival is rekindled. 

      After getting out of the hospital, Chen Chuan-Hung became penniless very quickly and eventually he could not even pay off his daughter’s tuition. By the help and introduction of a friend of his who sells feeds, he decided to change his career to raise chickens in the old house in North Hsinchu City Hsin Chuang Neighborhood. This decision surprises his family and they cannot believe a person sitting on a wheelchair can work so hard in chicken farm. They think he should change his mind.

      Chen Chuan-Hung believed he could do it. He borrowed some money and struggled to start the construction with his fragile body. He slowly operated the old machine, filled up the fish pond and set up a chicken farm by building up bricks and tiles one by one. 

      The first time to raise chicken happened to be a wide-spreading chicken plague. Half of one thousand chickens died and there were almost without any profit. Chen Chuan-Hung was not defeated and he again took out a loan to raise another one thousand chickens. Later on, there was a breakout of foot-and-mouth disease and pork became unwanted meat in market. Chicken was in great demand and the business of raising chicken was thriving. He, full of gratitude, called the chicken farm as “Hope Ranch”. 

      The scale of “Hope Ranch” is growing bigger and bigger. Chen Chuan-Hung got the reputation as a “wheelchair chicken ranch king”. He was later awarded “the Ten Most Distinguished Farmers”. His life struggle was told by people so that ex-President Lee and ex-Vice President Lian visited him and praised his achievement. 

      After Taiwan joining WTO, the business of “Hope Ranch” was severely affected. Chen Chuan-Hung currently manages lottery ticket store. Every morning at four, he picks up eggs at ranch; he works until 9 at night and goes to Hsinchu City social service center to pick up eggs. He goes to sleep at 12 midnight. In the twelve years of paralysis, he gladly endures hardships. He thinks it is all worth it when he sees children’s dutiful attitude. His oldest son, Chen Yi-ming, gave up twice the opportunities entering technological university in the South and would rather to choose Hsinchu County Hu Kou Chinese Technical School Night Branch for taking care of him nearby. 

      In order to give feedback to the society, Chen Chuan-Hung was invited to speeches nationwide to encourage disabled people. Once every month in “Hope Ranch”, he shares his experience with fellow sufferers in “Halfway House” in Taoyuan Potential Development Center to urge people with similar encounters walk out of shadow and get close to society for challenges. Change the life from black-and-white to colorful, he emphasizes: “For a person who sit on a wheelchair, he has greater responsibility to tell other people not to complain. The testimony with personal experience is more convincing.” He further explains that he feels deeply sad to see many people getting suicide every day. “They should take a look at me, the people who are physically challenged, and then they would probably feel it is not worth mentioning of their own struggles. “Why don’t they have the courage to live when they have the courage to commit suicide”