Going to school in a wheelchair, the girl with congenital muscular atrophy has a burning desire to learn.

Nguyen Thi Phuong has suffered from muscular atrophy since childhood. She relies entirely on her maternal grandparents for all her daily activities. Photo: Huu Vi

Nguyen Thi Phuong's small, makeshift wooden house is hidden behind a dense acacia grove in Hop Thanh village, Don Phuc commune, Con Cuong district (Nghe An province). The 12-year-old girl looks thin and frail like a weak little squirrel, and only her eyes always shine with a vague longing. Perhaps it's the yearning to run and jump on her own two feet, because since growing up, she has never been able to stand up on her own, let alone walk.

Phuong hardly ever knew her father. She mainly lived with her maternal grandparents because her mother was often away. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngan (Phuong's mother) spent her days traveling to various places, working odd jobs in restaurants. Her work was unstable, so the burden of caring for Phuong fell heavily on Mr. Hanh and Mrs. Lien, both of whom were in their sixties.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hanh recalled that the family discovered the illness when Phuong was only 3 months old. At that time, Phuong's parents had already separated. From then on, Phuong's life was intertwined with hospitals. "From district hospitals to provincial hospitals to hospitals in Hanoi, we took her everywhere," Mr. Hanh shared. "Then the doctors said this disease was incurable. It would only be a waste of money. But because we loved her so much, we didn't mind."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lien, Phuong's maternal grandmother, said that according to the doctors' diagnosis, the child suffers from congenital muscular atrophy. This terrible disease has left the little girl confined to sitting in one place. She can only manage to crawl around the house with great difficulty. All of her daily activities depend on her grandmother's care.

Despite not being as fortunate as many others, Nguyen Thi Phuong always strives in her studies. Photo: Ba Hau

However, Nguyen Thi Phuong always showed a strong desire to learn and a passion for knowledge. Her hands are too weak, so writing is a struggle for her. With her right hand, she can only complete one or two pages, after which she has to use both hands to continue writing. Even so, Phuong's handwriting is still very neat. The girl says she likes Literature and enjoys reading literary and scientific books.

From a young age, despite not attending school and having no one to tutor her, Phuong found ways to teach herself to read and write. By kindergarten age, she could read and write fluently. She was then admitted to first grade without going through kindergarten. Currently, she is a student in class 6B at Mau Duc Secondary School (Con Cuong District).

For over five years, her maternal grandfather has been Phuong's school friend. Photo: Huu Vi

Knowing his granddaughter's eagerness to learn, for the past five years, Mr. Hanh has been her constant companion to school. Around 6 a.m., he pushes Phuong to class in her wheelchair. He picks her up at noon. On days with afternoon classes, Mr. Hanh makes four trips to and from school for her. Mr. Hanh said: "I don't wish for anything more than to find a way to cure my granddaughter." Over the years, the family has also received attention from the authorities at all levels. The school has waived all fees for Phuong and has provided her with a lot of material and emotional support.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Vy, the principal of Mau Duc Secondary School, Nguyen Thi Phuong has consistently ranked among the top students in the school in terms of academic performance over the past years. However, she often feels insecure about herself, so providing emotional support is extremely important for her.

Phuong said that she always hoped that, thanks to advancements in science, her illness would be cured, and she is trying her best to study hard so that she can become a doctor in the future to treat less fortunate people like herself.