19-year-old with DMD enrolls at Shanxi University with electric wheelchair

China Daily

10th September 2026

19-year-old with DMD enrolls at Shanxi University with electric wheelchair

Nineteen-year-old Zhang Zexin took the gaokao like millions of his peers, and his score won him a place at Shanxi University. On Sept 5, he arrived on campus in his electric wheelchair to complete his enrollment, joining more than 12,000 fellow freshmen.

Zhang was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)—a genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle degeneration — when he was in the fourth grade. The condition has gradually reduced his mobility, and he now uses a wheelchair. With his family's support, he persisted in his studies and earned a place at Shanxi University.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202609/08/WS6a9f4d85e4b06d4aa055cd27.html