Page 16 - CUHK MEDICAL ALUMNI Newsletter Issue 1 Vol 13 2020

Humanitarian Service

Dr. Jennifer TONG is not just an orthopaedic surgeon - she is a
humanitarian aid worker who boldly travels to far-flung regions,
devastated by wars, to help heal the wounded.

She believes that everyone is created equal and war or poverty
should not deprive anyone from getting basic medical care. So after
working in a public hospital for seven years, she joined Médecins
Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2014 to pursue her dream of helping
people.

Her passion to serve the wounded and vulnerable has taken her

Dr. Jennifer Wing Sze TONG to the Afghan city of Kunduz, Tabarre in the Haitian capital of Port-
唐頴詩醫生 (MBChB 2007) au-Prince, Mosul in Iraq and Gaza Strip, the occupied Palestinian
territory.
• FRCSEd (Orth)
•FHKCOS Dr. TONG does what she does, not for fame and glory, but for
•FHKAM (Orthopaedic Surgery) the smiles she sees on the faces of those she helped. There was
•Specialist in Orthopaedic Surgery an orphaned 18-year-old Palestinian man, named “Sunny Boy”
•Field Worker of Médecins Sans
Frontières who was shot in the leg in July 2018. After his operation, he was
nervous about walking unaided. He was always with a walking stick
or clinging to friends for support. Dr. TONG, who was one of the
surgeons who operated on him, then helped him gain the courage to
walk confidently again without any aid.

On the day she saw him walking to the clinic on his own, she
described the moment as watching... “The triumphant return of my
son!”

Besides administering medical aid, she also trains the local
medical personnel and enjoys meeting people of different ethnic
backgrounds. Forging friendships with other unsung heroes with
whom she works with makes her missions worthwhile.

She does return to Hong Kong periodically, however, to take up
locum work. As soon as she feels it is time to move on, she sets out
again on her mission with MSF. There is no stopping her indomitable
spirit. When most of us would donate to our favourite charity and
hope for the best, she wholeheartedly throws herself into her charity
work.

Dr. TONG is indeed a role model for alumni and medical students
alike. She truly exemplifies what the term “a good doctor” really
means - to save lives, respect humanity and selflessly administer
medical aid to wherever she may be needed.
Photo Courtesy: Médecins Sans Frontières