Contribution Name: Polly / SUSS Nunchi Marine Age Well Programme
Pseudonym: Mdm Chua
Year of Author: 1952
Mdm Chua’s life is a testament to the power of resilience and the pursuit of dreams, no matter the challenges. Born in a poor family, she was the youngest of 13 siblings. Even as a child, she harbored a dream—to become a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) physician. However, life had other plans.
In her 20s, she married her high school sweetheart and soon became a devoted mother of two daughters. Her husband’s job as a factory worker allowed her to stay at home, raising their children and managing the household. For years, her life revolved around her family, and her childhood dream slowly faded into the background.
Tragedy struck when Mdm Chua was 36. Her husband, the sole breadwinner, passed away suddenly, leaving her a widow with two young daughters. The loss was devastating, both emotionally and financially. Faced with the harsh reality of supporting her family alone, Mdm Chua knew she had to act swiftly. With no prior work experience, she took on two jobs, working tirelessly to make ends meet. By day she was a clerk; by night, she took on a sales job. It was a grueling routine, but her love for her daughters and her determination to keep the family afloat kept her going.
Despite the hardships, the shortness of life made Mdm Chua realize that she could not let her dream remain unfulfilled. With incredible tenacity, she decided to pursue her childhood aspiration of becoming a TCM physician. It was not an easy decision—she was already juggling two jobs and taking care of her daughters, who were still in primary school. Yet, she knew this was her path to a better future for herself and her children. Mdm Chua enrolled in a part-time course in Traditional Chinese Medicine, attending classes in the evenings after work. The journey was anything but smooth. Balancing work, studies, and parenting tested her limits, but she persevered, motivated by her dream and the hope of a brighter future.
After seven long years, Mdm Chua graduated and became a certified TCM physician. Mdm Chua’s journey from a housewife to a TCM physician was an inspiration to all who knew her.
Today, at 72, Mdm Chua has largely stepped down from her professional duties, working part-time due to health concerns. Her daughters have grown into successful, independent women, a testament to their mother’s unwavering dedication. Yet, Mdm Chua’s spirit of service remains strong. She actively volunteers in her community, offering support and care to other seniors. Her story is one of endurance, resilience, and the power of dreams—no matter the obstacles, no matter the age.
坚韧的梦想家
蔡女士的一生是韧性与追梦力量的真实写照，无论面临怎样的挑战。她出生在一个贫困家庭，是家中最小的十三个孩子之一。即使在年幼时，她就怀揣一个梦想——成为一名中医师。然而，生活另有安排。二十多岁时，她与高中时的恋人结婚，很快成为了两个女儿的母亲。她的丈夫是一名工厂工人，这让她能够在家照顾孩子和打理家庭。多年里，她的生活围绕着家人转，她的儿时梦想也渐渐淡出了视野。
在蔡女士36岁那年，悲剧降临。作为家中唯一的经济支柱，她的丈夫突然去世，留下她和两个年幼的女儿，成为了寡妇。这一打击在情感和经济上都让她难以承受。面对独自支撑家庭的残酷现实，蔡女士知道自己必须迅速行动。她没有任何工作经验，却不得不兼顾两份工作，拼尽全力维持生计。白天，她是一名文员；晚上，她则从事销售工作。虽然日子艰苦无比，但她对女儿们的爱和维持家庭生计的决心支撑着她继续前行。
尽管困难重重，蔡女士意识到，生命短暂，她不能让自己的梦想就此破灭。凭借着非凡的毅力，她决定追寻儿时成为中医师的梦想。这并不是一个容易的决定——她已经在兼顾两份工作，同时还要照顾仍在上小学的女儿们。然而，她知道，这条路是为了她自己和孩子们的更好未来。蔡女士报名参加了一门中医的夜校课程，下班后上课。她的这段旅程并不顺利。工作、学习与育儿的三重压力将她推至极限，但她坚持了下来，因为她心中怀揣着梦想，并期盼着更光明的未来。
经过七年的努力，蔡女士终于毕业，成为了一名合格的中医师。蔡女士从一名家庭主妇转变为中医师的历程，激励了所有认识她的人。
如今，72岁的蔡女士因为健康问题，已大部分退出了职业生涯，兼职工作。她的两个女儿已经成长为成功且独立的女性，这证明了她们母亲无私的奉献。然而，蔡女士的服务精神依然强烈。她积极参与社区志愿服务，为其他老人提供帮助与关怀。她的故事是一段关于坚持、韧性与梦想力量的篇章——无论面临何种障碍，无论年龄如何，只要坚持，梦想终会实现。
This work includes translation generated by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI.
此作品包含由OpenAI开发的AI语言模型ChatGPT生成的翻译内容。