A student from SMK Dato’ Sheikh Ahmad, Seremban, has proven that physical limitations do not define one’s potential after achieving straight As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
Danis (transliteration) was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition commonly known as brittle bone disease, and has relied on a wheelchair since young.
Despite this, he emerged as the top student in his school with 11As.
Danis had earlier scored six As in his trial examinations, with the remaining subjects being Bs and Cs. He later went on to achieve straight As for all 11 subjects.
His results included A+ in Bahasa Melayu, English, and Mathematics, A in Physics, Biology, and History, as well as A- in Chemistry, Additional Mathematics, Arabic, Quran and Sunnah Education, and Islamic Law Education.
Studied independently without tuition
As reported by Sin Chew Daily, Danis shared that he did not attend any tuition classes. Instead, he studied mostly at home and revised together with his classmates.
For subjects he found more challenging, he made an effort to start revising earlier.
I did not really think about how my results would turn out. I did not have high expectations and just left everything to God. I am truly grateful to have achieved straight As,” he said.
Aspires to pursue IT while continuing art
Outside of academics, Danis enjoys drawing, particularly anime and cartoon characters. He also hopes to pursue both information technology (IT) and art in the future.
Danis added he had applied to multiple educational institutions, including Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), as well as several polytechnics.
He said he is also open to studying abroad if given the opportunity.
Danis said he hopes his journey can encourage others facing similar challenges not to give up.
Don’t worry too much about what others think of us. Some people may feel that we cannot do it, but that is okay. We just need to focus on doing our best.
“Although sometimes I felt discouraged, strong support from those around him, including my family, teachers, and friends helped me push through.
Overcame multiple fractures since infancy
Danis, who is the eldest of four siblings, has faced health challenges since infancy.
According to his father Khairuddin, Danis began receiving treatment as early as two months old due to frequent fractures.
Throughout his childhood, he experienced multiple fractures and even had steel plates inserted into both legs to strengthen his bones.
Since 2014, he has been receiving specialised medication with several injections each year, which has helped reduce the frequency of fractures.
Due to his condition, Danis spends most of his time at home. However, Khairuddin shared that he developed strong thinking skills through early training in international chess.
He went on to perform well in school and state level competitions, and in 2022, he represented Negeri Sembilan at the Malaysia Games.
In 2023, his interest shifted towards information technology and he represented Malaysia at the Global IT Leader Challenge in Abu Dhabi and won the top prize.
He was later invited to participate in the 2024 competition in the Philippines.
“Although he has physical limitations, he has shown remarkable ability in academics and technology. We will fully support him in pursuing his dreams, including studying abroad if the opportunity arises,” said Khairuddin.
READ ALSO:
