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Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 16th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2013> Wang Ting-Chieh—Disabled Pianist
 [Learning to live with multiple disabilities]

I hope that I can be taken as a normal person. Besides taking care of myself, I also like to give what I can to those in need.
—Wang Ting-Chieh
 
Wang Ting-Chieh is a graduate of Dahan Institute of Technology’s Department of Leisure Business Management. She has been suffering from hearing impairment and intellectual disability since little due to abnormal brain development. 

Although she was often ridiculed by others, her family supported her in all that she did. “Edison was said to be mentally retarded when he was little. Don’t take their comments too seriously,” her family comforted her. 

When God closes one door, he opens another. Ting-jade is gifted in playing the piano and has won several national awards. She also has a talent for swimming and was chosen as a reserved candidate for 2012 Special Olympics. Ting-jade was the winner of 2012 President Educational Award.

She showed that she can accomplish anything with determination and commitment. Those who witnessed the blessed miracle were genuinely amazed at her success.

She often visits the prisons, detention centers, halfway houses, orphanages, retirement homes and universities. Sharing her passion for life, she encourages her audience to keep an optimistic outlook on life and not be defeated by adversity. 

“One should strive to turn a stumbling block into a stepping stone,” she said. 

Crossing the barriers
 
Ting-Chieh was born in 1990 in Hualien County. As a child, she suffered from brain damages in both brain hemisphere and was diagnosed with mild intellectual disability. She also had amblyopia, astigmatism, irregular teeth alignment and difficulty with speech and cognitive skills. 
Her physical disabilities, however, did not stop her from leading a full life. She worked harder than her counterparts to develop the abilities she already possessed. 

Family support
Ting-Chieh often came down with fever and cold before six. Her weak health was caused by occipital lobe atrophy in her right hemisphere and occipital lobe compensated hypertrophy in her left hemisphere. The disorder is characterized by hearing impairment and intellectual disability. 

Hoping to improve Ting-jade’s condition, her parents submitted her to Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital in Huanlien City for a combination of Chinese acupuncture therapy and rehabilitation programs. Their love for her is unconditional. Besides driving Ting-jade four hours to and fro hospital each day, they also think of ways of to incorporate rehabilitation exercises into day to day life. 

Her mother got Ting-Chieh a piano to train her finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination skills. She signed her daughter for swimming classes to strengthen her muscles and boost immunity. In 2002, the whole family moved to Hualien City so that Ting-jade can receive better medical treatment. 

Hardship
Learning has always been a difficult task for Ting-Chieh. Despite the hardship, she never gave up and worked harder than anyone else in her class. She practiced the piano and performed at various church and campus events, sharing her story of survival with others. 
Her talents and achievements were recognized and honored by various organizations. In 2008 and 2010, she was awarded the first place prize in the national talent competition. In 2012, she was nominated as a reserved candidate for the Special Olympics in the swimming events. 

Learning to live with multiple disabilities
Ting-Chieh is an inspirational person who touched many lives. Though suffering from multiple disabilities, she tries to lead by example and bring joy to everyone she met. 
“I hope that everyone can see how diligent and hardworking I am. I hope others would take me as a normal person, and stop making fun of me. I want to be known as a good pianist and be praised for my performance,” she said.