Xinhua
21st May 2023
Feature. Visually impaired woman chases light of dreams
Once a masseuse, a career path many suffering visual impairment would take in China, Dong Lina, 39, braved all the challenges and carved out a new possibility for her life.
Born into a farmer's family in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Dong was diagnosed with congenital amblyopia and went blind at the age of 10.
Like many visually-impaired children, she finished compulsory education at a school for disabled people and began learning Tuina, a type of therapeutic massage. In 2003, she obtained a job at a massage parlor.
Her life back then was like a preset route, but Dong was reluctant to take it for granted.
"Teachers always told me to learn massage well as it's 'the only way out' for me, but still, I was not content, and I wanted more options in life," said the brave, determined woman.
One day she found that a public welfare organization in Beijing had an anchor training program for visually impaired youth. Dong, who has been lauded for having a good voice since childhood, realized that this might be her big moment, and she plucked up the courage and made a life-changing phone call.
http://www.china.org.cn/china/Off_the_Wire/2023-05/21/content_85463975.htm