Page 7 - CUHK MEDICAL ALUMNI Newsletter Issue 2 Vol 9 2018

FEATURES
06

BRUSH WITH CANCER EARLY IN

LIFE SHAPED THIS DOCTOR’S

CHARACTER

“The illness shaped my character because I met
many good doctors along the way…”

- Dr Angeline Lo Oi-shan

（盧靄珊醫生, MBChB 2006）

diagnosis. Noting there was a growth,
the doctor performed an operation to
remove it but he quickly closed her scalp
after discovering that the tumour was
too large for him to handle.
She was then taken to Queen Mary
Hospital for the surgery. “I owe my life
to Dr Fung Ching-fai who operated on
me,” she says. She was looked so well by
the doctors and staff that it strengthened CUHK’s MBChB programme. After
her resolve to become a doctor. 10 years with PWH, Dr Lo joined St
Teresa’s Hospital in February this year.
She underwent chemotherapy treatment “I wanted a career change to expand
for about seven months. She recovered my horizon,” she says. And, she is also
fully but she was not told she had cancer. hoping to get involved in voluntary work
“I only knew I had cancer when I was again in the near future. One of her
in medical school, “ Dr Lo says. “At the
n July last year, Dr Angeline Lo time, my parents and doctors simplified last major voluntary projects - during
Iwas one of five recipients of the everything. They just told me there was her time with PWH - involved visiting
3rd “Outstanding Little Life Warriors lump that needed to be removed and drug abusers under the “The New Life,
Award” - a recognition for people who the chemotherapy was to protect me New Liver Project” HCV-eradication
have had cancer, severe blood diseases from future illness.” She says she is not campaign.
or bone marrow transplant during their angry from being kept from the truth. “I Of the many happy memories she
childhood and who went on to achieve know why they did it.” can recall, one in particular sticks out.
notable success afterwards. When she was still a Year 4 medical
Dr Lo’s path to medical school was not
She was nominated by Professor that straightforward. She failed in her student, she saw a boy with severe facial
Godfrey Chan Chi-fung, Chairman of first attempt to secure a place in The deformity at the Caritas Medical Centre
the Department of Paediatrics and Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (Project Sunshine). She recognised him
Adolescent Medicine at Queen Mary Faculty of Medicine because her grades as the very sick newborn baby in the bed
Hospital. “He thought I deserved the - though excellent - were not good next to hers when she was in hospital
award because I was able to overcome enough. She was instead admitted years go. “I saw him in the centre,
the disease, continue with my studies, to the Journalism Department. running around happily and I felt so
pass with flying colours and then get into Undeterred, in the following year, she happy. I think life is amazing,” she says.
medical school,” Dr Lo says. She hopes applied for an internal transfer to the She should know, having been given a
the award will send a message to others Faculty of Medicine and was successful. second chance in life…and in studies.
that they too can achieve whatever Dr Lo is optimistic with what lies
they want if they put their minds to it. Dr Lo, who ended up specialising in ahead. She has achieved her dream of
gastroenterology and hepatology, becoming a doctor and is thankful to
Looking at Dr Lo, many would not worked at the Prince of Wales Hospital CUHK and its professors for giving her
know she is a cancer survivor. At just soon after graduating. She was a the chance. “The illness shaped my
eleven years, she was diagnosed with mentor to students for a few years character because I met many good
fibrosarcoma. Her mum noticed a lump there and is currently mentoring doctors along the way,” she says.
on her scalp and naturally concerned, three medical students in the Global
took her to a private doctor for Physician-Leadership Stream (GPS) of Her advice: “Always be optimistic.”