From partial paralysis to a guardian of rare disorder afflicted: the life journey of Taiwan’s Yang Yu-xing

Yang Yu-xing has suffered from Miyoshi myopathy for more than 20 years. The rare genetic disorder, also known as distal muscular dystrophy, prevents muscle fibres from functioning properly, causing weakness among those affected. There is no known cure. But Yang, now 45, has not allowed her partial paralysis to keep her from moving ahead in life. In recent years, Yang has been active in a number of advocacy groups, and pushing for a patient’s right to natural death. In January 2016, Taiwan’s…