Page 6 - CUHK MEDICAL ALUMNI Newsletter Issue 2 Vol 2 2015

FEATURES
05

LIVER SPECIALIST PUSHES TO BUILD DREAM

TEAM AFTER SARS EXPERIENCE CHANGES

HIS PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE

“I am proud of CUHK. I have a lot of good colleagues here
and it’s the bonding among us that keeps me here.”

我為中大醫學院感到驕傲。醫學院同事之間的凝聚力是我工作的動力。

- Professor Henry Chan Lik-yuen
(陳力元教授 , MBChB 1992)

the US. One of the top hepatologists the liver division later. So when his
at that time - Professor Jenny mentor, a young professor, Joseph
Heathcote from Toronto - gave the J Y Sung - CUHK’s current Vice-
lecture and the first thing she did was Chancellor and President - asked
to thank her mentor. “I was actually him to build the liver team, Professor
rofessor Henry Chan Lik-yuen is moved by her speech. So in bed with Chan remembered responding:
Pa SARS (severe acute respiratory SARS I realised I also wanted to build “Okay, boss, I can move to liver”
syndrome) survivor. He was among the something so that the world would - although liver was never his first
first batch of medical staff at the Prince become better when it was time specialty choice. The rest is history -
of Wales Hospital who contracted SARS for me to leave, and hopefully, I will by 2006, a Center for Liver Health was
when the then unknown disease struck be remembered. So, SARS actually established, of which he is the Director.
Hong Kong in 2003, killing 299 people changed the entire perspective of “I established an entire team from
and infecting about 3,000 others. my life. I realised that no matter how practically nothing to a world famous
Professor Chan had just joined CUHK a much money I have, I still wouldn't be team. My team has won international
year ago as an Associate Professor. happy because when I die, I wouldn’t awards, with a research output of 20
be able to take the money with me.” to 30 publications a year. We received
“My condition was so bad I could numerous grants and became one of
hardly move,” Professor Chan recalls. After his recovery from SARS, he the richest teams in the department.”
“Whenever I turned, it was like I had dedicated himself to team building
just completed a marathon. So I had and hence took up an EMBA In 2013, he became the Director of
to lie in bed for 24 hours. There was programme to brush up on his the Institute of Digestive Disease. He
nothing else I could do but think.” management and leadership skills. is now the Assistant Dean (External
Affairs) of the Faculty of Medicine.
“I asked myself if I died, would I be But even before Professor Chan
happy? I wouldn’t have to suffer contracted SARS, he had already Despite being internationally recognised
anymore and I wouldn’t have to accomplished a lot in the 10 years for his work, Professor Chan - who won
work. I should be happy, right? But since he graduated. He did extremely the Ten Outstanding Young Persons
why am I not happy?” well in professional examinations Award in Hong Kong in 2008 - says
and won many awards and prizes. he would not think of leaving. “I am
A memory of an event in the 1990s proud of CUHK. I have a lot of good
then came to mind. He was attending In 1996, he joined the Division of colleagues here and it’s the bonding
a memorial lecture on liver disease in Gastroenterology but it merged with among us that keeps me here.”