Disabled youngsters show their tenacity

A girl with muscular atrophy from Hong Kong Red Cross Princess Alexandra School scored 30 points in seven subjects, including 5** in integrated science.

Intrepid Joyce Lam Yuk-shan was among 19 candidates from the school in Lam Tin for disabled children.

She took seven subjects, including the 5** in integrated science.

With a passion for chemistry and biology, Lam said she hoped to continue studying science at a local university and become a laboratory technologist.

Suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, Lam needs to take physiotherapy for an hour every day, but she never gives up.

"Don't limit yourself and underestimate yourself. Dare to try. It will be the first step of your success," Lam said, hoping to cheer up DSE candidates this year.

Another candidate from the school, 20-year-old Lee Fu-shing, scored 18 points in six subjects. He has cerebral palsy, which limits his balance and speaking ability, but not his determination.

To improve his physical ability, Lee started sprint training in primary school and he became an elite athlete.

Although he was disappointed with his English language result - he scored only level 1 - Lee hopes to pursue a career in program design and development.

Wong Tsz-shing from Ebenezer School achieved a total score of 27 points with a 5* in Chinese history and an A in Japanese from the "other language subjects" category.

The school is for students with visual disabilities. Wong has albinism, a lifelong disorder that leads to low vision and restricts the body from producing melanin.

Wong, who has 10 percent vision, said he used a special camera placed above his computer monitor to read past papers line by line.