Cancer survivor starts a new chapter in Japan

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KUALA LUMPUR: Cancer survivor, Amelia Tan, who has been battling the disease since she was 18, is starting on a new chapter in life after getting a postgraduate scholarship to study biological science in Japan.

Tan, 31, started a home-based business in 2009 after recovering from spinal metastasis that left her wheelchair-bound.

“I was diagnosed with fourth stage lymphoma at 18 with the cancer already spreading to my spine.

“I was bedridden throughout my cancer treatment and out of sheer boredom, started playing with my mum’s bead collection.

“This little pastime became an all-consuming passion and later on, when I learnt to sit up and transfer into a wheelchair on my own through intensive physiotherapy, I decided to sell my creations online,” Tan said in an interview.

At a time her self-confidence was low, she said the anonymity of an online business was appealing.

“Selling online meant that I could work at my own pace and most importantly, nobody could see me.

“Nobody could avoid buying from me because I am in a wheelchair, and nobody could buy simply because I am in a wheelchair,” said Tan, who is better known as Mei from the one-woman blogshop, Crafted By Mei.

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