“I have to be optimistic”: Dayana Aranda

Friedreich's ataxia is a hereditary disease that damages the nervous system. It affects the spinal cord and the nerves that control the movement of the muscles in the arms and legs. This is how a medical pathology book summarizes, in three lines, the condition suffered by Dayana Aranda Penagos, a Software Development Technology student from Soacha.

Nevertheless, she remains optimistic about life. “I have to be, for myself and my family, although sometimes my spirits have flagged, since this disease is progressive and weakens me over the years without affecting my brain. That's why I'm on a treatment plan to slow its progression, which I complement with physical therapy exercises.”.

And what a brain he has, since he achieved a 4.6 GPA throughout his degree and is just a month away from graduating. “I’ve always been someone who likes to study, and my older brother has helped me a lot in that process.”.

She chose UCundinamarca to study for two reasons: first, because it was close to her home, and second, because of the professors. “It was a good choice because I live in Bosa, and I had also heard about the high academic standards, so I enrolled, and I don't regret it.”.

So, she began going to classes in her wheelchair from Monday to Friday. “Before, I used a cane, but after a while, I had to use a wheelchair because I lost the use of my legs at eighteen. It was a complicated situation, so to get to the university, I had to take Uber, and my classmates helped me get around.”.

Today, she thanks the university for the education she received as a transhumanist, for life, democratic values, civility, and freedom, which allowed her to complete a thesis focused on disability. “I really enjoyed that experience, and I had the support of my professors the whole time to develop an application to teach math and Spanish to children with hearing impairments through play.”.

Regarding her future, this 21-year-old, speaking slowly and with a tone full of tenderness and innocence, says, “I would like to create a business that provides software solutions to companies or work in a company in the IT department. I know many companies that receive tax breaks from the government for hiring a person with a disability.”.

This is the young woman who, on September 14th, will be dressed in a cap and gown to receive her degree, and who has a maxim engraved in her mind that reminds us that life is short, as the Juanes song says. "I have to make the most of my time and opportunities, because while there's life, there's hope," she concludes.

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