Mercy on the high seas

A thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. Dr Jenny Chu, Associate Consultant of Department of Medicine and Geriatrics of Princess Margaret Hospital, joined a mission last year to rescue and provide humanitarian assistance to refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Working in a made-shift rescue ship from a cargo vessel and fitted with basic medical equipment, Jenny was touched by the heartfelt smiles and appreciations of the refugees, which recalled her passion as a doctor. It has unexpectedly become a journey of selfreflection.

Jenny, who participated in volunteer work since her student days, joined a Red Cross team of more than 20 humanitarian workers from all over the world for a mission on the rescue ship Ocean Viking, which sailed out of Sicily in Italy in last July. Being the only doctor on board, Jenny was joined by three nurses to form a post-rescue medical team. She had to undergo a week of training in survival skills and seamanship prior to commencement of the mission. “There was so much eye-opening knowledge I would never have learnt otherwise,” says Jenny. “For instance, if you witness someone falling overboard, the most important thing is to not let him or her out of your sight while calling for help, and try to keep throwing buoys in his or her direction as the ship moves as a means of tagging location.”

“Treasure everything we have”

After the necessary training, Ocean Viking finally set sail. The first day was calm but on the second day, they rescued people from three boats in a row drifting on the vast Mediterranean Sea. One young refugee told the staff on board that he had been kidnapped and trafficked to work as a slave at a mine in Libya, with his passport confiscated. After being brutally abused and having witnessed the death of fellow workers, he finally managed to escape, and boarded a rubber boat to cross the Mediterranean Sea with the help of a Good Samaritan.

This young man was found with numerous scars and multiple fractures on his body. He looked like he was in his late 20s though he recalled himself being 16 years old. The medical team postulated he had probably lost count of the years he had spent in the mine. “It was heartbreaking to imagine how much sufferings he had been through,” says Jenny. “We may be discontented with our lives, but we should really count the blessings and be thankful for the things that we have. Many people are less fortunate than us, and we should do more to help them,” reflects Jenny.

Waves of humanity

Managing patients on board with limited equipment and medication was a different way of medical practice. “Everything was back to basic and I couldn’t fall back on technology. I was grateful that my years of clinical training came handy. It was not easy, but very gratifying,” Jenny recalls. In the past, Jenny sometimes felt frustrated over the huge workload and pressure in hospital. Now, she was very much encouraged by the gratefulness of the people on board. This reminded Jenny her initial incentive of becoming a doctor was to help people in need. After returning to Hong Kong, she tried to encompass more empathy and understanding towards patients despite the busy schedule.

Having served on Ocean Viking for one month, she believes that she has gained as much as she had offered on this Mediterranean rescue mission. “It is indeed a blessing to be able to offer help to people in need,” she comments. “I hope our lives would impact on each other in a meaningful way, and that everyone would take an extra step to show love and care for each other, to make the world a better place.”