Guo Chunmei is browsing the Internet. (Photo/people.cn)
Not long after she was born, Guo Chunmei was diagnosed with congenital progressive spinal muscular atrophy. Though she has never walked down a road or attended a day of class, this girl from Hebei province has taught herself drawing and poetry. She's even started an online business and helped others find employment. Guo continuously looks for the brightness in life, saying, "Although I can only move one finger, my world is still wide open."
Her illness makes something as simple as sitting in a chair impossible without physical support for her body. This kept Guo from being able to go out and attend school. As a kid, the limited characters she knew came from television. Once Li Xiuhong, Guo's mother, began teaching Guo's younger cousin pinyin (the phonetic system for Chinese pronunciation), Guo would sit by her side and follow them. She would write and read aloud as her mother and cousin practiced. Guo eventually learned more characters, opening up her horizon.
With the support and love of her family, Guo developed a cheerful, resilient personality. She loved reading history books and ancient poetry. She began using poetic prose to write down her own feelings.
"I will be like a butterfly in Siberia. I will dance in the freezing winds and flutter in the teeth-clenching coldness," she wrote.
In 2003, Guo's mother bought her a secondhand computer. Guo learned how to type, use the Internet, and make animation. She also studied in greater depth the style of ancient poetry, reaching out to online friends for advice. Her poems began to have a mold and style. Considering Guo taught herself to draw, it's no wonder her friends call her the "young talented girl."
The main manifestation of progressive spinal muscular atrophy is in the constant shrinking of the muscles. Thus, the level of weakness and movement varies. With age, Guo's disease intensified. Despite keeping a sharp and lively brain, every limb lost movement, aside from one index finger on her right hand used for clicking the computer's mouse. She used this little bit of power to earn money and financially help out the family.
Guo worked in customer service for an online clothing store. However, having never been to a mall and knowing next to nothing about fashion, her performance was lacking. Her boss got word of Guo's situation and gave her dozens of fashion magazines and videos. Guo herself also registered for online classes and slowly went from beginner to master.
As she began to succeed in her profession, she thought about others like her that lack opportunities to make money. "Although working in online customer service won't earn lots of money, for a handicapped person, it still provides a sense of worth." Guo reached out to her company and recommended several handicapped persons interested in employment. She has now successfully facilitated employment for eight disabled people across China.
Throughout her thirty years of life, Guo Chunmei has experienced and overcome so much adversity. But she has always told herself to stay strong, be tolerant, and treat others well. Guo told her mother that when it's time for her to leave this world, she wishes to donate her organs. "Give my eyes to a blind person and they'll take me to see the world. Your daughter can travel even further in this way!"
