Taiwan Little People Association Established

Fifteen years ago, patients with achondroplasia established the “Little People Association”, which assists patients to hold events like medical, psychological, leisure, and so on every year. Rare disease patients' families often took their children from pillar to post to share the care experience and social welfare information. After a long time to communicate, they finally established “Taiwan Little People Association” on November 12, 2011.

On that day, a total of 122 people from 44 patient families, who are all from different place, went to National Taiwan Science Education Center to witness (participate) the important moment of the Little People Association. Staffs from the Department of Social Welfare, Taipei City Government and the Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare also show their support. Many of patient groups and representative of doctors also came to the venue. Nearly 30 guests attended, bring joy to the event.

Mrs. Jiang, Huizhu, founder of the Little People Association, came back to Taiwan from Shanghai with her mother, husband and three children together to join the event. When She looked back, she not only needed to be strong to face her children who diagnosis with this disease, but sought support for them, thus  she actively contacted patients’ families in Taichung’s. Gradually, the Little People Association’s became stronger with more and more members. After 10 years, this long-awaited patient association finally established.

Taiwan Little People Association is the seventh association established by Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders (TFRD) to assist rare patients. Patients with achondroplasia and their families have united through the association. We still have long way to go and hope that we can work together to fight off challenges in the future.

Translator: Angela Ou Yang (Thrombasthenia), Reviewer: Joy Yin