After Japanese encephalitis left half of Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy’s body paralyzed, it seemed like she would have to abort her studies, but she continued with determination and pursued her burning dream of attending college.
Minh Thuy’s father accompanied her from Quang Ngai to enroll at DTU. Photo: DTU
Duy Tan University (DTU) has awarded Minh Thuy a full scholarship completely covering tuition, giving her extra support to pursue her long-cherished dream of studying a major in English.
Illness and challenges of life
Born into a disadvantaged family in Binh Son, Quang Ngai, Minh Thuy was once a healthy and pretty little girl. A sudden illness in third grade changed her life forever.
Japanese encephalitis took away Minh Thuy’s health and freedom with severe sequelae that paralyzed nearly the entire right half of her body, made her body contract, destroyed her ability to move her right hand, and made walking extremely difficult.
Despite the family’s difficult circumstances, Minh Thuy’s parents - hardworking farmers who poured all their love and sacrifice into their children - never stopped seeking treatment for her while allowing all their children to study and doing their best to raise Minh Thuy’s siblings.
With the many burdens weighing on the family - her father already 75 years old and her mother battling late-stage cancer - Minh Thuy’s brother decided to drop out of college after his first year to start working, support his parents, and give his younger sister the chance to keep studying.
From elementary through high school, Minh Thuy’s tuition was always fully waived, and she received support from aid programs for children with disabilities.
Guided by her personal motto, “Successful people walk their own path,” Minh Thuy believes that each person has a unique journey and one should not compare oneself to others, for such comparisons only muddle one’s own journey.
Despite her crippling disability, Minh Thuy has maintained her independence and her determination to overcome all challenges. From daily self-care to cooking and other simple household chores, she tries to do it all by herself so as not to worry her parents.
Minh Thuy’s independence and relentless effort stand as proof of a courageous spirit that rises above any challenge, no matter the many hardships ahead.
Gift for dream of becoming a teacher
Years of hard work in senior high earned Minh Thuy a full scholarship to DTU. Photo: DTU
“In today’s world of development and integration, English is the golden key that opens countless opportunities for young people,” Minh Thuy explains. “After researching universities that offer this major and listening to the experiences of those older than me on the curriculums and on the dedication and enthusiasm of the lecturers at DTU, I decided to pursue a degree in English here. After I graduate, I hope I’ll be able to teach English at a center for children with disabilities.”
On the day he accompanied his daughter to enroll at DTU, Minh Thuy’s father Nguyen Phu Minh was deeply moved: “Although our family has faced many hardships, I’ve always encouraged my daughter to keep doing her best in her studies to become a useful person.
“While encouraging her to go to college, I did really worry about tuition in the coming years. At one point, I even thought about meeting the authorities for help, because the financial burden is really heavy for us.
“When DTU announced that they’d waive her tuition entirely, it surprised the whole family and we couldn’t hold back our tears of jo. My daughter has officially started her college dream, and our family has been relieved of our greatest burden.”
The road ahead will surely bring many more challenges, but with her determination and confidence and with the wholehearted support of her lecturers and friends and of the DTU leadership, Minh Thuy will no doubt overcome every obstacle and achieve success in the future.
(Media Center)