Page 6 - CUHK MEDICAL ALUMNI Newsletter Issue 2 Vol 9 2018

FEATURES
05

BONE CANCER SURVIVOR’S

DOGGED DETERMINATION TO HELP

OTHERS LIKE HIM PAYS OFF

“I promised myself then that I will also share my story
with other cancer patients.”

- Dr Gary Ng Ka-wing

（吳家榮醫生, MBChB 2005）

Dr Ng says he is grateful to a young Youth. He served in the association for
woman - another bone cancer leg more than ten years and has been its
amputee - who he was introduced chairman for more than three years.
to while receiving treatment in “Actually, before being sick I had trained
hospital. “When I was told I needed to be a volunteer. During summer time,
amputation I had these thoughts.. I would go to some non-governmental
would I be able to walk or run again organisation centres to do voluntary
and do things that I like? So when I work,” he explains.
met her, she made me realise that I
could also be able to walk again with Despite his physical limitations, Dr Ng
the help of prosthesis and do the represented Hong Kong in the 8th Far
things that I like. I could go back to East & South Pacific Games for the
school and be an active member of Disabled, and was named Outstanding
hen Dr Gary Ng was in primary society. She shared her story with me Athlete in Swimming in Hong Kong.
Wschool, he wrote down “Doctor” which I found so inspiring. It gave me “To me it was a great encouragement,”
as his dream occupation even though hope and optimism. I promised myself Dr Ng says.
he did not know what the job really then that I will also share my story with After graduating in 2005 from The
entailed. It was only after going other cancer patients as well.” Chinese University of Hong Kong,
in-and-out of hospital for months for a Dr Ng joined the Orthopaedics and
potentially fatal disease that he realised Traumatology Department of Tuen
what being a doctor really means. “The Mun Hospital. It was there that he had
attitude of doctors, nurses and support received his treatment and it was there
staff at Tuen Mun Hospital had a great that he wanted to return the kindness
impact on me. They didn’t just focus by serving its patients, he says.
on my disease but also dealt with the After nearly eight years with Tuen
psychological needs of me and my Mun Hospital, he joined the Hospital
family. They were more like friends Authority Head Office in 2015. Dr Ng
and I was very much influenced by holds a Master of Science in Health
them.” His stay in hospital reinforced his Services Management (MScHSM)
determination to become a doctor. degree from CUHK. He says he
Dr Ng was 14 when he was given the True to his words, soon after he hopes to help more patients at his
current job.
news that he had bone cancer. To stop recovered, he would visit hospitals with
the spread, doctors amputated his left his parents to give inspirational talks Looking back on his days in CUHK, he
leg. After a year of treatment, which to cancer patients. After obtaining says peer support got him through. “I
included chemotherapy, he returned to outstanding results in his HKCEE, he was never alone. My classmates were
school. “I had a walking stick to help me received wide media coverage for his always there. We supported each other
manoeuvre as the school didn’t have a achievements. “I got more invitations and shared moments of laughter and
lift at the time,” he says. He had to go to to go to high schools and universities tears together.” As for the professors,
to share my story after that,” he
school earlier than the other students so he says he views them as role models.
that he could climb the stairs at his own laughingly recalls. His advice to medical students: “You’ll
pace. “Fortunately my classmates and Eventually, he joined some NGO’s for always face challenges but if you have
teachers were very supportive and were the disabled, most notably the Hong a strong will to become a doctor, then
always ready to give a helping hand.” Kong Federation of Handicapped everything can be overcome.”