The Book Launch Party: Courage of 120 cm

When Chen Youhua was five months old, her mother noticed Chen was unable to sit with her flabby body. Soon after, Chen was diagnosed with Achondroplasia, a rare disease caused by genetic mutation. She grew up with numerous setbacks for being particularly petite. Instead of giving up on herself, Chen strove to break through the physical and psychological barriers. Starting from being placed in a “fang niu ban,” a class for students with low grades in secondary schools in Taiwan, she earned her PhD from the University of Sheffield, UK at the age of 39. She taught at Brunel University in the UK for eight years. Recruited by National Central University in Taiwan, she returned to Taiwan to serve as a professor in 2009.

Professor Chen was granted an Outstanding Scholar Award from the Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship on May 2010. This award is known as the Taiwanese Nobel Prize. In addition to teaching and doing researches, she actively engages in public welfare by working with Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders and Genesis Social Welfare Foundation to exemplify her success to inspire the patients with the similar struggles.

Courage of 120 cm is a book describing the story of Professor Chen’s struggles along the way. The book launch party was held on June13. Many professors of her circle and patrons in various periods of her life got together to cheer her on with enthusiastic applause.

Translator: David Lee (Becker Muscular Dystrophy), Reviewer: Albert Kuo