India, Oct. 13 -- A 67-year-old woman from southwestern China decided to fulfil her dream of photographing penguins after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Rather than immediately undergoing surgery, Wang Ying spent her savings on a month-long expedition to Antarctica, one of the most remote places on Earth.

Wang, an amateur wildlife photographer who has photographed more than 1,200 bird species, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2013 while preparing to retire from her job as a school administrator in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province.

Doctors urged her to undergo surgery immediately, according to the Shanghai Morning Post. However, the diagnosis prompted Wang to reflect on how she wanted to spend her time.

"If I were to di...