Image via Ratha Renganathan / Instagram
When a person is forced to deal with a health scare, physical complication or critical condition, it can be very debilitating for the affected patient and their loved ones.
But when they finally overcome this hurdle, the life-changing experience can turn around for the better, just like the inspiring story of Ratha Renganathan, a young stroke survivor from Johor, who’s also one of the unsung heroes in RAAGA’s DIGIyin Saathanai Hero-kkal campaign.
When she was only 24 years old, Ratha suffered a stroke, but that’s not the end of it. She experienced it a second time merely six months later back in 2008! This predicament is almost unimaginable to a lot of people, regardless of the age. Due to this, Ratha found herself with paralysed right limbs. She also lost her speech and memory, and was constantly plagued with seizures.
The young woman had no other choice but to stay at home until she was able to resume her normal life again.
But “normal life” didn’t come as easily because she was forced to start from the basics. She had to learn her ABCs all over again and train her left arms and legs to do what her right limbs used to be able to do.
One can only imagine what that must have been like.
To avoid feeling more stressed out and helpless, Ratha grabbed this problem by the horns and took it as an opportunity to hit the restart button in her life. She decided to find a new way to earn a living by turning to a childhood hobby: art.
Art was her favourite subject in school that quickly developed into something she continued to pursue. She enrolled herself in art classes and workshops, and learned how to paint using different mediums, like acrylic and oils.
After some time, Ratha’s talent in art became more prominent in the industry. In May last year, she participated in an international event on Facebook and successfully received an International Golden Art Award certificate! This award gave her the confidence and motivation to create more artwork.
“Art engages me in a way that nothing else does. It consumes me in a beautiful way and allows me to express my innermost feelings. This avenue to release my emotions through my paintings leaves me feeling fulfilled and peaceful,” Ratha told StrokeNews.
Her passion and perseverance have led her to find a new career path in something she loves. Now, she’s painting more and selling her artwork.
She’s also conducting art classes for children in her home-based studio and hopes to take in more adult students soon. In the future, she wishes to open an art academy and see her work in art exhibitions both locally and internationally.
What an inspiring stroke recovery story! We wish Ratha all the best in her health, business and passion.
As part of the DIGIyin Saathanai Hero-kkal campaign, we’re constantly looking to share stories of Malaysian ‘superheroes’ that live amongst us.
If you know a hero or if you have an inspirational story about overcoming challenges, we’d love to hear from you. Just submit your story at RAAGA’s website or click the image above.
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