Page 9 - CUHK MEDICAL ALUMNI Newsletter Issue 1 Vol 5 2017

HUMANITY AWARD 2016
08

problems,” Dr Kwong says. “I told
them I was going to be there for
only a year but these people
were exposed to mosquitoes
and other difficulties every day.
And they saved me so I wanted
to stay… to do something for
them in return.”

actively participated in humanitarian
relief work in Ethiopia and Zambia. She
then quit her job in February 2015 to
take up a three-month diploma course
in Tropical Medicine in Liverpool,
UK, to prepare for future missions in
developing countries. In May 2015, she
went with the Hong Kong Red Cross
to earthquake-stricken Nepal to offer
And against all odds, she stayed. medical services.
Besides finding sponsors to school
Cameroonian children, Dr Kwong D r Kw o n g r e - j o i n e d Q E H i n
also taught teenagers about HIV/Aids October 2015. She is now a qualified
and helped teach some nurses from a medical volunteer with Hong Kong
village nursing school. Red Cross and Médecins Sans
Frontières (MSF).
She returned to CUHK after her one-year
She contracted malaria twice in stint in Cameroon to continue with her With all her humanitarian efforts and
Cameroon. When she was struck medical studies. But voluntary work selfless dedication to help the needy,
down by the disease the second time remains her passion, outside of being it is no wonder that Dr Kwong was
around, she was in such a bad shape an emergency doctor. chosen as one of the six recipients
that she could not get up from bed. of the Humanity Award 2016, jointly
After realising that they had not seen Ironically, Dr Kwong had never dreamt sponsored by the Hong Kong Red
her for two days, the villagers became of being a doctor. “As I said before, I Cross and Radio Television Hong
worried and went looking for her at her came from a low-income family and I Kong (RTHK). “I was very proud and
house. Finding her very sick, they sent wasn’t very smart in studies. So I didn’t happy because I felt that my ten
her to hospital. have big ambitions and I expected to years of voluntary efforts have been
end up as an office worker.” But when recognised.” But what made her
“Many people have asked why I didn’t
leave Cameroon because of all the she excelled in the public exams, her happier, she adds, is that hopefully,
teachers encouraged her to apply for with the publicity surrounding her
medicine. “I thought about it a lot. voluntary work due to the Award, her
I said to myself that by becoming a peers might be inspired to follow in
doctor, I could help a lot of people her footsteps.
every day. And since I was fond of
voluntary work and God had given Dr Kwong says she is happy that, as
me the chance…why not take up part of its vision, CUHK is continuing
medicine?” to encourage more and more medical
students to take up humanitarian work.
After her housemanship, Dr Kwong “Nowadays, I see groups of students
worked at the Accident & Emergency going overseas to serve people in
Department of Queen Elizabeth need. It is important for students to
Hospital (QEH) from July 2011 to learn that there are other things to
January 2015. During that time she develop beyond just academia.”