Huang, who suffered over 90 percent burns to his body in a dust explosion at the Formosa Fun Coast (八仙海岸) water park, chose amputation because of his desire to live and his sense of responsibility toward loved ones to treat his life preciously. But compared to other burn victims, survivors of the Formosa Fun Coast disaster bear a unique and additional burden — of social stigma and victim-blaming. The stigma is so strong that during job interviews, some survivors avoid mentioning their connection to the Formosa Fun Coast disaster in order not to hurt their chances of getting hired. Seizing a new lease on life, survivors must summon an iron will to overcome social barriers and adapt to their changed bodies. “Our society is very strange, we use a single label of ‘Formosa Fun Coast’ to encompass all.

Source: Taipei Times June 26, 2019 15:56 UTC