Young cancer survivor awarded for being inspiration to other patients
Cancer survivor, 12, rewarded for selflessly volunteering to help other disease patients
Cancer survivor Lam Yi-ning is only 12 years old, but yesterday she was rewarded for being an inspiration to others suffering from the disease - including her former teacher.
She is one of the top 10 "warriors" named by the Regeneration Society - and the youngest to be honoured in the group's 17-year history - after she was nominated by Hung Wai-ming, 58, who has recovered from throat cancer.
Despite frequent headaches and impaired vision, Lam spends a lot of time helping others through volunteer work.
"After her treatment was completed and she had rested for a while, we started taking on volunteer work - even before her hair had grown back [after chemotherapy]," said her mother, Phoebe Chan Ching-yee. "It's like we're living with a time bomb. There are things in life that you can't control and we want to do more, like helping people."
Lam was diagnosed with cancer when she was just seven. She underwent brain surgery, four chemotherapy sessions and 30 radiotherapy sessions.
After eight months of treatment, she got involved in activities to encourage other sick children, and later took part in fundraising events for poor families in rural parts of the mainland.
Hung, who was one of her teachers at the Red Cross Hospital School at the Prince of Wales Hospital, said she was a good role model for showing others that even children with serious illnesses can be active and contribute once they get better.
The school, which offers bedside lessons for children and organises events, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
When Hung fell ill with phase four throat cancer two years ago, he was encouraged during his treatment by the brave attitude of Lam and his other students.
"They were a motivation for me. The pain I suffered was nothing compared to what they have been through," he said.
He returned to teaching a year after his treatment.
"I encouraged him with my own experience," Lam said. "I told him that cancer is not untreatable. Just work hard and there's no need to worry."
Her mother said the disease and Lam's experience doing volunteer work had made her more mature.
"She would think what would happen if she's gone, what she should do with the time she has. She has learned to think more for others after doing volunteer work," said Chan.
The Regeneration Society's top 10 "warriors" award aims to promote positive attitudes in chronically ill patients.
