Despite seeing the world in “blurry outlines,” eighth-grade student Lan Jui-yu (藍睿瑜) has become a math and science whiz, well on his way to fulfilling his dream of becoming an ophthalmologist.
Lan has Marfan syndrome, a genetic condition affecting the connective tissue that is often associated with impaired eyesight.
It was only after his mother passed away when he was four that Lan learned he had the condition, she did.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families
Marfan syndrome is also characterized by overly long and flexible limbs.
Lan at 15 is 1.8m tall.
As his heart valves are at risk of detaching, Lan must avoid collisions and strenuous exercise. During gym classes at his school in Taoyuan, he usually sits on the sidelines.
Lan has been severely nearsighted for as long as he can remember, requiring 25 diopters of correction. He also has a narrow field of vision. Even with strong corrective glasses, he only has 20/100 vision.
To read, his face must be close to the text and he has to squint.
As for his family, including his memory of his mother, and the rest of the world, “they are just blurry outlines,” he said.
Unable to bear the thought of his son facing the world alone, his father, Lan Cheng-chung (藍成忠), overcomes his own movement challenges caused by a car crash to accompany Lan Jui-yu.
With his father’s support, Lan Jui-yu has overcome setbacks, even earning a Presidential Education Award for excellence in mathematics and science.
He hopes to become an ophthalmologist to help others like him, he said.
Lan Jui-yu’s dedication caught the attention of the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families, which on Sunday named him as one of 23 “self-empowered children.”
The organization invited Lan Jui-yu’s hero, former Major League Baseball pitcher Wang Chien-ming (王建民), to record a message of encouragement.
Of the families that receive childcare support from the fund, 64.58 percent are single-parent households, while grandparents are the primary caregivers in 11.02 percent, fund data showed.
Eight percent of families are two-parent households in which one or both parents cannot work due to medical conditions, the data showed.
The “self-empowered children” it named face tough circumstances, and nonetheless show strength and resilience, Taiwan Fund for Children and Families vice president Liu Kuo-chang (劉國璋) said on Sunday.
They use their ambition to write their own stories, transforming their struggles into the strength they need to pursue their dreams, Liu said, adding that his organization thanks everyone who has lent a hand and encouraged these extraordinary children.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS