A Turkish woman in central Sivas province with brittle bone disease has used her love of reading to achieve major milestones despite being primarily housebound.
Tuğba Fidan was unable to attend school in person but graduated from primary, secondary and high school after passing the exams at home. Her parents, Nuriye and Osman, lost their first child aged 10 due to the same disease, a genetic disorder that results in fragile bones that break easily. They have provided all kinds of assistance and support to their beloved daughter over the years.
"I love reading books ... my mother taught me how to read and write," she told Anadolu Agency (AA), adding that she wants to study in a university but to no avail due to her precarious health condition.
The 33-year-old said she occasionally goes out when the weather is suitable and hangs out with friends, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions disrupted her routine for a while.
"When it is too cold to go outside, books become my friends, without which I could not have a life," she said.
Her mother, Nuriye Fidan, said she could not provide her daughter with a formal education due to financial shortcomings, so she taught Tugba herself at home. "She graduated this year and got her high school diploma. She wants to go to university but cannot due to health issues," Nuriye said, adding that her daughter must exercise extreme care as even a slight movement could trigger catastrophic results.
"I have always been grateful to God. She is a gift from the Lord, and I will be by her side till death sets us apart," she said.
