Yip Pin Xiu is a glass-half-full kind of person. It's not just because of her easy smile or her warm, upbeat personality. Nor is it that despite being diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) (a disorder that causes nerve damage and weakens the muscles), she has pushed past her physical limitations to win five Paralympic gold medals and one silver.
Rather, it's her uncanny ability to accept situations that are beyond her control, like her disability. "To be honest, I can't imagine life without CMT. I would probably be a very different person," she shares, noting that she might not even be a swimmer. ("I would be an accountant, maybe?" Is she good with numbers? "No, not really.") The 31-year-old had a joyful childhood, but she also recalls spending her formative years with her parents trying to treat her condition. Eventually, she knew that it had to stop. "I was probably around nine or 10 years old, but my mum recalls me telling her: 'Let's not waste any more money doing [the treatments] as the doctors have already said that it cannot be healed.' I knew that we'd tried everything we could, and that there was really nothing else that could be done. At a certain point, I accepted it, and just wanted to live my life." By the time she turned 13, her leg muscles had severely weakened, and she had to increasingly rely on a wheelchair.
Rather than viewing the wheelchair as a handicap, she saw it as increased mobility. "It was already so difficult to walk when I was 12 years old, so much so that being on a wheelchair actually felt like relief for me," she shares. "It was more of a mindset shift. A lot of people might view it negatively, but for me, I was excited that I now had wheels, for it gave me so much more independence."
Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av Her World Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av Her World Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Is Social Media Really Necessary For Career Success?
Social media platforms are powerful job-hunting and networking tools, but if you don't use them for professional reasons or aren't comfortable posting online, don't worry - there are other ways to improve your career prospects.
PAYING IT FORWARD
When she noticed that women in developing countries were not getting the funding they deserved, Laina Raveendran Greene started Angels of Impact.
DRESSING FOR SUCCESS
Today's workplace dress codes are more varied than ever, but as the lines blur, we're left wondering: Is dressing down impacting how we show up - and how confident we feel at work?
Power Puff
This '80s skirt trend is popping up on our social media feeds and on the streets.
FIRING UP SINGAPORE'S INDIE CINEMA SCENE
Nothing makes Karen Tan, co-founder of The Projector, more happy and fulfilled than making a difference to a film-goer's experience. For her, that spells \"f-u-n\" and brings people together. In the third instalment of the \"HER WORLD, HER SPARK\" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Karen about her journey.
WILLA BELLE
ONG is intentional about building the next blocks of her career
Back For Good
Get ready we are now in the halterneck era.
Stick Sunscreen
Using sunscreen is extremely important to protect our skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays.
Beyond The 9-To-6
According to Her World's annual What Women Want survey, a staggering seven in 10 women in Singapore are willing to take a pay cut for a job that offers better perks and benefits, with a flexible work schedule being a top priority. Are employers here ready to accept flexible arrangements as part of our lexicon?
Leading Singapore's Sustainable Innovations
In this second instalment of the "HER WORLD, HER SPARK" series, presented in partnership with DBS, we speak to Oh Chu Xian, founder of deep tech start-up Magorium. Determined to make the construction sector a more sustainable one, she's revolutionising it with a new technology that turns plastic waste into sustainable building materials.