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Cerebral palsy child moves first lady with 115-word letter
2010/03/08 11:44:55 |
Taipei, March 8 (CNA) An 8-year-old girl with cerebral palsy successfully invited first lady Chow Mei-ching to attend a concert late last year with a 115-word letter that took her four days to write, a local foundation said Monday.
Kao Zi-xiuan, a third grader at Lihu Elementary School in Taipei City who has suffered multiple disabilities since birth, had to struggle hard to control her trembling hand enough to write the invitation letter.
Zi-xiuan told the first lady that the Angel Heart Family Social Welfare Foundation holds a concert every year that brings together those who have helped or will be able to help the foundation in its work.
"My father told me that we should try to invite the first lady to attend this year... Although I do not know you, I believe you are an important figure and I earnestly hope you can attend our concert, " she wrote.
The written words might have been wobbly and twisted, but every word and every sentence was imbued with strength and vigor, a foundation spokeswoman said.
A few days prior to the Dec. 18 concert, the foundation received a response from the Presidential Office saying the first lady would attend on condition that the media would not be informed of the event.
On the evening of the concert, Chow was so quiet and low profile that none of the other concertgoers were even aware of her presence until the end of the performance when she was invited on stage to present a bouquet to the disabled child performers.
Zi-xiuan also came forward with difficult, trembling steps to present flowers to Chow in gratitude for the first lady's kindness in accepting her invitation. They hugged each other silently, moving many of the audience members to tears, according to the foundation spokeswoman.
Zi-xiuan's father, Kao Chieh-chung, said his daughter was very happy that her invitation was successful.
"She feels she has done something meaningful for the foundation. She has received assistance from many other people in the past and it was gratifying for her to be able to return the foundation's help, " Kao said in a recent interview with the United Daily News.
The Angel Heart Family Social Welfare Foundation was founded by musicians Lin Chao-cheng and his wife Hsiao Ya-wen to help families with physically and mentally challenged children.
The couple decided to found the organization after they themselves experienced dreadful hardships after having two severely mentally disabled daughters.
The organization is scheduled to hold a parade in Taipei March 27 to call for more social support for families with disabled children and urge the government to designate an Angel's Day to arouse public awareness of the needs of the disabled. (By Sofia Wu) ENDITEM/J
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