Professor Eric Wai-choi Tse is a distinguished physician-scientist specialising in clinical haematology and experimental oncology at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Renowned for his exemplary and unwavering dedication both to community service and scientific research, Prof Tse has built a remarkable career marked by both excellence and compassion.

Prof Tse discovered his interests in haematology and oncology early on during medical school. He took a year out of the then 5-year medical curriculum at HKU to pursue an intercalated bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences in the Department of Pathology. Under the mentorship of the late Prof LC Chan, he studied the clonality of haematological malignancies using molecular biology techniques. This year was pivotal in solidifying his passion for research and inspired him to pursue a career in academia. Fuelled by an insatiable quest for knowledge and guided by the late Sir David Todd, he embarked on his doctoral studies under Prof Terry Rabbitts at the prestigious MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the University of Cambridge following the completion of his medical degree at HKU. During this time, he honed and expanded his repertoire of molecular biology techniques, laying a robust foundation that would later prove invaluable in his career. He then returned to Hong Kong to complete his postgraduate medical training and rejoined HKU as an assistant professor. Prof Tse remains deeply grateful to his mentors, including Sir David Todd and Professors LC Chan, Terry Rabbitts, TK Chan, Raymond Liang, and YL Kwong for their unwavering support and guidance.

When discussing his current research interests, Prof Tse radiates an infectious enthusiasm for his work. He has a particular interest in PIN1 (peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerase), an intracellular enzyme, and its role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Throughout the interview, he maintains the importance of being open-minded and being receptive to new ideas. He believes one can uncover fresh perspectives and applications from exploring beyond one’s own area of expertise. For instance, he co-authored an original research article exploring the connections between PIN1 and neurodegeneration alongside other PIN1 researchers whom he met at a neuroscience conference—an exciting and rewarding experience that would have been impossible had he confined himself to his own areas of expertise. Prof Tse is also investigating the use of arsenic trioxide in treating acute promyelocytic leukaemia, a highly treatable form of blood cancer. His work is shedding light on the different mechanisms through which arsenic trioxide potentially combats other cancers and its synergistic effects when combined with all-trans retinoic acid, another drug often used for treating promyelocytic leukaemia.

Prof Tse’s approach to patient care is rooted in honesty, empathy, and clear communication. He emphasises the importance of being frank with patients about their conditions, explaining the nature of the disease and its treatment in simple, relatable terms, often using analogies to aid understanding. Prof Tse believes in empowering patients to make decisions about their own treatment, tailoring his communication to their concerns and level of understanding. He recognises his role as a team player and the importance of collaboration in achieving better outcomes for his patients. Despite being a leading physician in his field, Prof Tse deeply values the insights and experiences he gains from working with his junior colleagues and views learning as a two-way process. Many of his juniors share novel approaches to patient care acquired from their training at other institutions, thereby fostering a collaborative environment where everyone works together towards a common goal of improving patient care. His humility and openness to new ideas serve as testaments to his open-mindedness and commitment to continuous growth.

Being a physician-scientist, Prof Tse occupies a unique place in the healthcare system. He believes that his roles as both a doctor and a researcher complement each other in many ways. His training in basic science has provided him with the skills needed to approach problems methodically and ‘get to the bottom of the question’. On the other hand, his work in clinical trials has offered him firsthand experience with using new drugs, thereby equipping him with the expertise to use them effectively in his own practice. However, the combination of clinical demand and maintaining research output requires endless time, effort, and dedication. When asked how he manages such a hectic schedule, Prof Tse talks about the heartfelt experiences he has had in clinical practice and the appreciation expressed by both patients and their family members, some of whom still send him Christmas cards many years later. Prof Tse is also passionate about his research and views it more as a hobby, in the same way that some people might play tennis or golf. As a hobby, his research is both something that he actively enjoys and also an indulgence, which means that the long hours spent both as a clinician and a scientist do not feel tiresome.

As a highly successful researcher, Prof Tse also shared some of the challenges he faced to get where he is today. Reflecting on his career, he believes that budding researchers must have the mental preparation and fortitude to deal with frustration at times. He believes that when one is faced with negative feedback, this should be viewed as constructive criticism and used as an opportunity to improve one’s work.

Looking ahead, Prof Tse has a positive outlook on the advancements of haemato-oncological research. He is a firm believer that ongoing research in the field will continue to greatly benefit blood cancer patients, citing the adoption of oral drugs such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors over the use of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia to show the translational impacts of haematological research. He also mentions how modern laboratory techniques, coupled with the advent of gene and cell therapy, will remove previous barriers to research in the field and revolutionise blood cancer treatments. Prof Tse also predicts that in the coming decade haematooncological research will lead to safer drugs that avoid the ‘toxic’ chemotherapy approach, allowing patients to recover from malignancies without the massive toll on their own health.

Dr Fei-chau Pang is the Commissioner of Primary Healthcare at the Health Bureau in the Hong Kong SAR Government. He is the current President of the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine and was a Clinical Associate Professor at the School of Public Health of The University of Hong Kong until 2022.

As we began our interview with a question about his past achievements, Dr Pang humbly redirected the conversation and said, ‘Let’s not focus on achievements; let’s chat more about Hong Kong’s primary healthcare system instead’. Throughout the interview, his passion for improving our healthcare system through system-level changes was evident, reflecting the drive that has persisted throughout his career.

This conversation raised important questions about our primary care system, such as, ‘What committed role should primary care doctors take in Hong Kong?’ and ‘How effective is our healthcare system in improving the general health of our population?’ Our dialogue with Dr Pang prompted deep reflection on the importance of developing strong primary healthcare in Hong Kong and how we, as a community of healthcare professionals, can collectively improve the accessibility and sustainability of our healthcare amid increasing fiscal pressure and disease burden.

Dr Pang’s involvement in primary healthcare began early in his life. During secondary school, he volunteered as a student health leader for the Department of Health, raising public awareness about smoking cessation. His advocacy continued in medical school as a council member of the medical society by organising community exhibitions for cancer screening. As he pursued specialty training in geriatrics, he developed a deeper appreciation for providing holistic care for patients. These experiences inspired him to further his training in medical administration, which led him to pursue various impactful projects over the years.

In 2004, Dr Pang was actively involved in setting up Hong Kong’s first batch of public Chinese medicine clinics, focusing on quality assurance and information system development. This initiative operated under a tripartite collaboration model involving the Hospital Authority, a non-governmental organisation, and a local university to provide research-oriented care to the public. This administrative model was an innovative approach at the time, though was proven successful, with over 18 service centres in Hong Kong as of 2024. Later, Dr Pang became the Chief Manager of the Hospital Authority’s Quality and Safety Division, where he led the hospital accreditation programme in both the private and public sectors and successfully assisted in the accreditation of five public hospitals by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS). The aim was to create a quality improvement system for public hospitals and develop Hong Kong’s first set of hospital standards based on the Evaluation and Quality Improvement Program (EQuIP 4) standards adopted in Australia. Dr Pang also led the redevelopment project of the Grantham Hospital, which involved the planning of the design, facilities, and services. Subsequently, Dr Pang was transferred to the Head Office of the Hospital Authority and spearheaded the development of the myHR App to enable direct electronic communication with all staff across over 40 hospitals.

When asked about his motivation for pursuing systemic change, Dr Pang responded, ‘Often, it is easy to go on with your day-to-day work without making much effort in improving the current workflow. However, is there indeed nothing we can improve within our existing system? I find purpose in identifying and addressing pressing issues by building major, system-level changes in our healthcare system. Though developing holistic solutions involving multiple stakeholders is not without challenges, my guiding principles in life motivate and drive my work.’

Since 2022, having come full circle, Dr Pang has combined his passion for community care and administration in his new role as the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare in the Health Bureau.

One major problem in Hong Kong’s healthcare system is the lack of sustainability in its specialist-led model. Many chronic diseases are managed under the Hospital Authority with limited primary care services and there is a reduction of focus on disease prevention and a lack of continuous care. As a result, patients with chronic diseases may not be well-managed and present with complications as their first encounter with the healthcare system. For instance, many conditions being treated in the hospital currently, such as myocardial infarction, end-stage renal failure, and vision loss in adults, are linked to modifiable risk factors, including poorly managed hypertension and diabetes mellitus. This healthcare model increases reliance on specialist care and exacerbates waiting times for all.

Currently, healthcare expenditure accounts for approximately 19% of the government’s total spending in 2024/25, and this figure is expected to rise if the system remains unchanged. Such a trajectory renders Hong Kong’s healthcare system unsustainable. Recognising that the lack of emphasis on primary healthcare is closely linked to issues of accessibility, quality of care, and the overall sustainability of the healthcare system, Dr Pang is committed to supporting the government in reforming Hong Kong’s primary healthcare system.

Dr Pang explained that the main reason for these healthcare challenges stems from limited public understanding of primary healthcare and guidance of its role among healthcare workers. Many patients seek care only when symptoms arise and may be reluctant to undergo preventative screenings suggested by doctors due to high cost and a lack of understanding about their benefits. Some patients might seek primary care at the emergency department instead of primary care clinics, while others might engage in ‘doctor shopping’. These behaviours hinder the development of the continuous doctor–patient relationship that is important for comprehensive care.

In both primary healthcare and specialist doctors, consultations often focus on the patient’s chief complaint rather than the health of the whole person. For instance, during a primary care consultation for an upper respiratory tract infection, the primary care doctors may not, in their routine practice, advise on screenings for colorectal cancer or chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. On the other hand, specialists may only focus on diseases related to their expertise and may not think about referring patients to primary care for long-term follow-up and management of chronic diseases. These issues reflect just a few of the ‘hotspots’ in the current healthcare system, as noted by Dr Pang. He emphasises the need for change, ‘We need to promulgate and encourage our professionals to take up new commitments on continuity of care and responsibilities on chronic disease management, especially in the private sector.’

To address the main challenges, Dr Pang, as the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, is leading the Primary Healthcare Commission in its implementation of the measures set out in the Primary Healthcare Blueprint, which was unveiled in the Chief Executive’s 2022 and 2024 policy addresses. The team has spearheaded the development of District Health Centres (DHCs) in all 18 districts, which aim to develop a community-based service network and serve as a pivotal hub for primary healthcare services, providing health promotion, health assessments, and chronic disease management, whilst also bridging the gap with secondary care through development of the eHealth system.

Among the initiatives coordinated by the DHCs is the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme. This scheme provides subsidies for diagnosing and managing hypertension and diabetes mellitus in the private sector. It includes subsidised laboratory tests, a specialised drug list at significantly discounted prices, and multidisciplinary care. The DHCs assist citizens in pairing with family doctors and provide multidisciplinary support in managing patients. They also empower people to manage their own health by providing blood pressure monitoring, weight management, and health promotion.

Another initiative is the development of the Life Course Preventive Care Plan, which is a set of guidelines for both public and primary healthcare professionals on the recommended preventative care measures based on an individual’s age and sex. It includes guidelines on immunisation, women’s health, mental health support, cancer screening, chronic disease management, and more. Ultimately, this initiative hopes to better guide family doctors in providing care to patients and improve the public’s understanding of the role of primary care whenever they encounter their family doctors.

Our conversation with Dr Pang encourages us to be courageous in bringing about meaningful changes, whether big or small, and he inspires us to focus on what truly matters to us rather than seeking validation from others. By the end of our interview, despite Dr Pang’s modesty in acknowledging his work as an accomplishment, it is undoubtedly clear to us that he is passionate about reform and hopes that it will have a substantial impact on our society.

On Dr Gary Ng’s 14th birthday, he was greeted with an unpleasant surprise: he had malignant osteosarcoma in his left leg, which required immediate chemotherapy and eventual amputation. However, he was undaunted by the subsequent mobility restrictions—this situation inspired him to devote his life to medicine and volunteering to help others in need. In recognition of his effort and perseverance, he has been a proud recipient of multiple awards, such as the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in 2020, the 8th Hong Kong Volunteer Award 2020, the Outstanding Disabled Persons Award 2002, the Ten Warriors of Regeneration Selection 1996, and many others. In addition, he is the current chairperson of the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth (HKFHY).

The Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth, established in 1970, aims to promote the spirit of self-help among handicapped young people and allow smooth societal integration of underprivileged groups. It strives to achieve these objectives by providing services to disabled individuals and advocating for policy changes to create a barrier-free society. The HKFHY also collaborates with other organisations to arrange improvements in public facilities, with the goal of allowing handicapped individuals to regain a sense of independence and self-sufficiency while raising public awareness.

Dr Ng’s volunteer work began just after his graduation from secondary school, long before he joined the HKFHY. He was invited to give talks at secondary schools and to share his extraordinary experiences with cancer patients who were facing the same challenges as he had. Believing in the balance between quantity and quality, he was determined to motivate others with his story with different delivery methods. When asked about the effectiveness of his talks, Dr Ng replied, ‘If even one person remembers my message after my talk and takes my lessons to heart, I have already succeeded.’ He recalled one memorable story involving a tour guide who had osteosarcoma. The guide adamantly refused to undergo leg amputation, concerned that impaired mobility would severely affect his livelihood. In desperation, a volunteer organisation contacted Dr Ng, asking him to persuade the guide to undergo the amputation surgery. After hearing Dr Ng’s story, the guide was sufficiently moved by the doctor’s cancer journey that he chose to undergo the amputation procedure—this decision both saved his life and improved his long-term quality of life. Dr Ng believes that his volunteer work has provided an opportunity for self-reflection because his unique perspective as both a cancer survivor and doctor makes his stories compelling and relatable to the general public. His journey inspires others to accept themselves, instead of dwelling on their misfortunes, and to face the challenges ahead with vigour and enthusiasm.

Years later, as chairperson of the HKFHY, Dr Ng’s outreach has extended beyond the youth population. Notable initiatives include the establishment of social enterprises such as ‘First Sense Design’ and ‘Flower Workshop’. These enterprises offer job opportunities for disabled individuals and provide them with a sense of fulfilment. Recognising that disabled individuals have limited physical mobility and lacks sporting habit, Dr Ng is enthusiastic to promote ‘Sports of All’ which encourages disabled individuals to participate and develop an interest in sport. Furthermore, Dr Ng has been an active member of various sub-committees, providing insights from the perspective of disabled users and advocating for practical follow-up measures in areas such as malls and the transportation sector. These include increasing the availability of elevators at malls, or installation of mirrors inside of the elevators for wheelchair user’s easy access. Dr Ng’s work encompasses a broad range of activities, from serving individual users to persistently advocating for policy changes.

Over the years, although Dr Ng has transitioned from patient to doctor, his unwavering commitment to serving the handicapped community has never faded. While studying medicine, Dr Ng coincidentally discovered that the survival rate for the type of surgery he had undergone is alarmingly low: approximately 3% after 3 years. This finding reinforced his firm belief in giving back to society. Engagement in volunteer services has provided Dr Ng with continuous opportunities for reflection, reminding him of how fortunate he is to have recovered, to have encountered compassionate medical professionals, and to now serve as a beacon of hope for others. Thus, volunteering benefits the individuals receiving services while serving as a means of self-improvement and self-reflection.

Dr Ng’s work has not been free of challenges and setbacks, particularly in terms of facilitating employment opportunities for disabled individuals during Hong Kong’s economic recessions. Although handicapped individuals exhibit a higher level of loyalty and dedication to their work, as Dr Ng has suggested, some complex considerations and obstacles persist. For instance, employers often express hesitation regarding the termination of handicapped employees who do not meet the required job standards because this termination may be perceived as a violation of anti-discrimination laws. Businesses have also raised concerns about the financial implications of office space renovation to include necessary facilities, such as barrierfree washrooms and elevators. It is particularly challenging for Dr Ng to act as a bridge between the disabled community and the business sector—seeking opportunities for the disabled yet balancing the concerns from the business field at the same time.

With deep gratitude and humility, Dr Ng pledges to lead the HKFHY to new heights, with the goal of increasing disabled community involvement in community planning and design. During visits to explore infrastructures in other countries, Dr Ng was especially impressed to see disabled individuals actively participating in the design process, which resulted in truly inclusive facilities such as lowered check-in counters that can accommodate wheelchair users. Dr Ng has placed great emphasis on the importance of providing disabled individuals with abundant opportunities to broaden their horizons and increase their knowledge through field trips and continuous visits. By enabling disabled individuals to ‘see more’ and ‘hear more’, this approach allows them to acquire valuable insights and experiences that can be effectively applied within Hong Kong. The organisation also aspires to work to closely with other regions, such as helping mainland China to develop barrier-free tourism.

Throughout our chat with Dr Ng, he consistently emphasised the importance of inclusivity. As someone who is both disabled and a volunteer, Dr Ng firmly believes that true inclusivity extends beyond merely assisting disabled individuals—it is the mutual respect between different disabled and the society, and the understanding that everyone could play an important role in society that matters the most. ‘When you have the opportunity to work with someone who is disabled, express gratitude by saying, “Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to better understand you”, instead of “Thank you for giving me a chance to help you,” ’ advises Dr Ng. Ultimately, the deepest motivation arises from a genuine and sincere desire to serve, along with a firm belief in making our beloved city, Hong Kong, a better place.

Dr Michael Kai-tsun To is a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon and well-known expert in osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). He received training in orthopaedics at Queen Mary Hospital, where he now offers his expertise; he also serves as a clinical associate professor at The University of Hong Kong (HKU). Since the establishment of the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital in 2012, Dr To has travelled between Queen Mary Hospital and Shenzhen to provide cross-border care for children with bone diseases. Dr To’s dedication to children with rare bone diseases was recognised in 2018 when he received the Hong Kong Humanity Award.

One of Dr To’s most important projects has been the establishment of a rare bone disease centre in Shenzhen, where he provides medical expertise to families from multiple provinces in China. Although it is now a full-fledged specialist service centre, it originated from rather humble beginnings.

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a rare, heritable brittle bone disease with a prevalence of 1 in 10 000. Patients with this disease may exhibit deformities and can easily develop fractures. Although treatment is available, it is prohibitively expensive; because OI is rare, specialists with relevant expertise are often difficult to find. Although relatively few patients with OI attend the Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital (DKCH) in Hong Kong, one such patient contributed to the establishment of the OI service now thriving in Shenzhen.

Around 2012, while working at the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital, Dr To provided follow-up care for an adult patient with OI. Many years prior, when Dr To was still a medical student, the doctors at DKCH had performed complex surgical treatment of OI in this patient. The patient had presented to DKCH with difficulty walking; after surgery, he regained the ability to walk and subsequently moved to Guangzhou. The grateful patient asked if the new hospital could help other patients with OI as he had been helped in childhood. Through this patient and various WeChat patient groups, numerous families caring for children with OI found their way to the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital.

The rare bone disease centre expanded organically in response to the overwhelming demand. Since then, the centre has gained sufficient recognition that it has been the site of more than 1000 surgical treatments for children with rare bone diseases. When asked how he came to devote much of his career to caring for these children, Dr To jokingly quoted a Hong Kong action movie “Shock Wave”, in which an explosive ordnance disposal specialist (portrayed by Andy Lau) explained that he did not enter into the profession by choice—it was a matter of fate.

Today, the centre is well-known throughout Mainland China for its expert management of OI. The journey from its beginnings in the early 2010s to its present success has been filled with challenges. In particular, substantial time and effort were needed to establish patient trust in a treatment that was relatively unknown. Initially, there were rumours in patient WeChat groups that Dr To was a 'liar' for claiming that surgery can potentially restore mobility in patients with OI. However, the increasing number of patient success stories gradually outweighed the distrust and doubts.

As the service expanded and demand grew, Dr To travelled from Pokfulam to Shenzhen each day before 7 am, returning across the border at 6 pm. Cross-border travel became more difficult during the early portion of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic because of lengthy quarantine mandates. To address this situation, Dr To sacrificed time with his family and coordinated with colleagues to ensure that clinical services in Hong Kong continued smoothly in his absence.

Through the OI centre in Shenzhen, Dr To gained knowledge of the unique challenges encountered by patients with OI in Mainland China. Many patients travelled great distances and incurred substantial financial burdens to reach the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital. In one memorable case, a mother with OI (and height of <1 m) and her son with OI travelled for 40 hours to reach the OI centre. Recognising the great need for medical care outside of major cities, Dr To led service trips across the country, including visits to Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet, to provide medical care and train local medical professionals. Local residents often eagerly waited for the medical team’s arrival, and they offered unexpected tokens of gratitude to the doctors. Dr To recalled that one patient brought a freshly slaughtered chicken to his clinic! He also recalled the story of a 17-year-old boy with OI in Sichuan, who complained of tongue pain refractory to high doses of analgesics. He had not received a proper diagnosis, despite multiple specialist consultations. Upon arrival, Dr To’s team promptly made the diagnosis of basilar invagination as a complication of OI, then obtained funding to help finance the boy’s treatment. After regaining full use of his tongue, the boy greeted everyone by proudly sticking his tongue out.

In addition to providing unforgettable anecdotes, the sincere gratitude from patients during these service trips encouraged Dr To and his team to continue their cross-border efforts. In 2020, Dr To and his team received a special research grant from the Chinese government to support their OI clinical service and research—it was a well-deserved moment of recognition for sustained effort over the past decade.

The OI service in Shenzhen has also delivered unexpected gains in Hong Kong. Because of the high patient volume in Shenzhen, the HKU team has become internationally renowned, leading to multiple research and training opportunities. At the time of writing, Dr To and his team are preparing to host the 2025 OI conference in Hong Kong—the first OI conference outside of Europe and North America. This great honour is expected to inspire further developments in OI research and treatment in Hong Kong.

Professor George Woo, the ‘father of optometry’ in Hong Kong, began his career by establishing the first optometry programme in Hong Kong, and his tale is a valuable lesson in commitment, perseverance, and resourcefulness. In 1973, Prof Woo approached The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) with the idea of setting up the first optometry school in Hong Kong. After many years, it has evolved from a certification course in 1978 into a five-year degree programme, granting students the degree of Bachelor of Science in Optometry.

One can attribute this evolution to Prof Woo’s continued commitment to healthcare in Hong Kong. His years of working with and nurturing the next generation of clinicians are a compelling reminder that healthcare professionals are leaders, servants, and pillars of their communities.

Prof Woo is humble about his contributions to the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at PolyU; he recalls his happiness at seeing the first cohort from the Professional Diploma in Optometry graduate in 1987, witnessing the fruit of the faculty. He humourously recalls how he swore he would retire after helping the faculty transition to a fleet of Bachelor of Science programmes in different disciplines; he laughs when he admits he did not retire.

Prof Woo has been advocating for improvements in the Hong Kong healthcare system for the past 30 years, focusing on the limited availability and scope of primary care. While he acknowledges the government’s strides in improving the availability of primary care within District Health Centres, their narrow scope led to severe underutilisation. He firmly believes in expanding the District Health Centre’s purview to allow for the provision of a more comprehensive range of primary care services, such as traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, full-time pharmacists, optometrists, dentists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists. On-site holistic healthcare can relieve the burden on primary care doctors, improving the distribution of resources and manpower. Better usage of all dimensions of primary care can also enhance the professional-patient relationship; rather than shuttling a patient between various doctors and referrals, a single professional with the relevant expertise, and who could track patient progress, would significantly improve the primary healthcare experience.

Prof Woo laments that little change has been achieved over the years due to rigid rules and regulations, and despite him actively passing 17 items for legislation while serving on the Supplementary Medical Professions Council for 10 years. He raised continuing medical education as an example, where the lack of training for primary care physicians overshadows Hong Kong’s robust training for specialists. Other countries have been pursuing continuing education for 60 to 70 years but Hong Kong’s efforts have fallen behind. A gleam of hope appeared in 2021, when compulsory continuing education was required for optometrists. However, due to the complexity of the healthcare system, change in Hong Kong is hampered by political and professional interests, as well as the divide between the public and private sectors. With the current trajectory, Prof Woo mournfully states that he doubts meaningful change will come in his lifetime.

In addition to being a leader in his field, Prof Woo continues to be an avid hotline volunteer for the Samaritans, which he has done for over 20 years. The Samaritans is a non-profit organisation offering a 24-hour multilingual hotline service run by volunteers who provide emotional support to people who are in distress or suicidal. Prof Woo realised the importance of personal, human-to-human interactions for one’s wellbeing early on; he recalls how, as a student, he would volunteer to provide health services at an elderly care home. At the time, he noted that the older adults were less concerned about their health complaints, but instead treasured the chats and personal time spent with them. It was then that he realised a caring, empathetic touch was just as important to wellbeing as the scientific aspect of healthcare. He was first inspired to join the Samaritans when he understood that helping patients was beyond just medicine and surgery. As he began to identify the link between mental health and visual problems, he knew it was his duty as a practitioner to help patients to heal physically and mentally. Over the years, Prof Woo felt a sense of gratitude towards the hotline as it helped him gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues regarding mental health in the city. With over 2000 hours of volunteer work under his belt, it broadened his horizons and helped him empathise with and understand his patients better. In 2015, Prof Woo became the chairman of the Samaritans Board of Directors, where he expanded their services beyond hotline help and lent support by introducing many outreach programmes, such as the Supporting the Aged Responsibly Programme, or STAR, aimed at improving the mental health of the elderly population.

To this day, Prof Woo continues to don his headset and answer phone calls for the hotline with the hopes that providing a listening ear can help people rise above difficult moments in their lives. In 2020, Prof Woo was awarded the Hong Kong Humanity Award, bestowed upon those who exemplify the very spirit of humanity in service and commitment to their community by putting it into action and practice. ‘I will walk with them as long as they want to walk further to improve their quality of life,’ affirms Prof Woo, as he continues his mission of curing wounds invisible to the eye. He hopes that as he continues to serve in the future, more academics and medical professionals will step out of their comfort zones and volunteer to help.

Those who decide to bear the Hippocratic Oath will find no shortage of mentors, especially Prof Woo, who will shape them and provide them with the skills, knowledge, and insight needed to one day enter the field and serve the community.

Prof Woo continues to come to PolyU to mentor students and perform research. Regarding his students as blank sheets of paper, he believes it is his duty both to shape the way that they see the world and to teach them about the healthcare system that they will one day work in and, hopefully, transform for the better. His establishment of the field of optometry is only the first step in what he sees as a mission to improve Hong Kong’s healthcare systems and prepare those who serve within it.