‘It’s OK not to be OK’: rugby players tackle Hong Kong’s massive mental health problem

Hong Kong rugby players Jonathan Nazer, Andy Welling and Doug Wolfson found themselves at a precipice in January 2017. The three Herbert Smith Freehills HKU Sandy Bay players were standing on the back patio of the Hong Kong Football Club, despondent and dumbfounded.

They had just attended yet another funeral, another rugby player who had committed suicide, and were still reeling from the death of another close friend who had passed away.

“We were just talking about how do we stop this from happening,” said Wolfson, 41, who works as director of strategy for financial crime compliance for LexisNexis Risk Solutions and has lived in Hong Kong for 12 years. “And thinking I never want to go to another wake of somebody that I’m close friends with again.”

The three decided to act on their words, setting in motion the plans for the first annual Blue Tie Ball, which aims to help reduce the stigma around mental health and bolster applicable programmes in the city.

Hong Kong is notoriously stressed out and ill-equipped to deal with matters related to mental health treatment. According to research, one in seven Hongkongers will experience a mental health disorder if their lifetime, however only a quarter will seek professional help. If they do, they face another massive hurdle: as per World Health Organisation standards, Hong Kong doesn’t even have half the number of psychiatrists working in the city to meet demands and waiting times can vary from 38 weeks to three years. Company health plans also lag behind numerous developed nations as accessing care often has to be paid out of pocket, and can run thousands of dollars per session.

The three held their first ball later that year and Wolfson said the response now feels like an unending groundswell of support.