Wheelchair student qualifies for university

"I want to study education at the universities within Anhui province and I hope to become a teacher in the future," said Wu Haoran, a student sitting in wheelchair due to the sequela from a cerebral hemorrhage during his childhood.

Wu, born in a rural family in Huoqiu county, Lu'an of Anhui, sat for this year's National College Entrance Examination, or gaokao. He learned of his gaokao score - 445 points - which passed the enrollment line on June 24, and finished his applications for universities on July 3.

It was just after Spring Festival in 2013, when Wu was 9-years-old and a grade three student at a primary school, when he suddenly felt dizzy and quickly lost consciousness during a break.

When he woke up, he was already in hospital. He suffered a cerebral hemorrhage due to congenital cerebral vascular malformation.

Wu's mother remembered that he received the craniotomy hematoma removal surgery in Luan and stayed in ICU for a long time. Later, he was transferred to Shanghai for his second and third craniotomy operations.

After three craniotomy operations, Wu's motor control nerves were affected and he could no longer walk independently. He had to receive rehabilitation training. But a wheelchair and crutches became essential tools in his life.

He received medical treatment in the hospital for about one year. Wu returned to school to continue his studies at grade three - all other students were now younger than him.

"At that time, I was still young, and when I returned to school, both my teachers and classmates treated me very well and I did not feel too much psychological pressure," Wu said.

"Only when my classmates went outdoors for physical education classes did I feel a bit down." To divert his attention, he would sit in the classroom and focus on reading and writing by himself.

Wu has had a desire to become a teacher since middle school.

After knowing his gaokao score, though a bit lower than his expectation, he and his parents looked forward to choosing a suitable university for him to attend. Due to the need for his mother to accompany him and take care of some daily life struggles he may have during college, it is best to prioritize universities within Anhui province.

Wu preferred English and biology, and chose the majors based on those two orientations.

"After selecting, there were not many suitable universities to apply for. We tried to only apply for universities that meet our own qualifications," Wu's mother said.

The family carefully completed the application on July 3, and his father, a ride-share driver in Shanghai, who specially returned for the application on June 23, returned to Shanghai for work to support the family.

For this summer, Wu said that he would prepare things for college life and wants to find a summer part-time job within his capabilities to ease some of pressure for his family.