Rare illnesses radio show hits the airwaves

Taiwanese are about to get the chance to listen to the country's first radio show addressing life from the perspective of people with rare illnesses, according to the Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders.

The radio show will be aired on the Pop Network of the Broadcasting Corporation of China from 10am to 11am every Sunday, starting today, the foundation said.

The show's hostess, Yang Yu-hsin (楊玉欣), said at a press conference on Friday that 14 sessions of the show have been prepared to address the issues of genetic diseases, the life of people with medical disorders and the public's humanitarian concerns for those with chronic illnesses.

Yang, a TV news anchor who has a degenerative muscle illness, said: "How to face life with suffering is a universal challenge. People with rare disorders usually show unimaginable strength and optimism when they encounter difficulties in life, and this is what the public lacks the most nowadays."

Calling the 14 shows of the first season "the 14 required lessons in life," she said that experts from different fields will also be invited to call in and talk with people with illnesses during the show.

The weekly topics of the show will include despair, creativity, loneliness, love, making choices, waiting, happiness, sorrow, knowledge and friendship, the foundation said.

Chief executive officer of the Kuan-shu Educational Foundation Hung Tsui-jan (洪粹然) told reporters that the audience will be able to better appreciate the meaning and importance of life after listening to the stories of people with rare disorders.

The foundation's managing director Serena Wu (陳莉茵) said that the foundation hopes to extend its scope of life education to radio shows this year.

The content of the show will also become part of the life education resources on campus, she added.