60 years of unwavering compassion: CMC’s enduring mission for people in need
Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) opened in 1964 to meet the growing medical needs of Sham Shui Po as new public housing estates sprang up in the 1960s. When their son arrived in the world in August 1964, the Tsui family from So Uk Estate broke with tradition and named him Ka-luk after the Chinese name of the hospital’s St. Charles’ Chapel. Tommy Tsui Ka-luk was the first baby born in CMC. With its celebration of 60th anniversary, 60-year-old Tommy still remains a lifelong link to CMC.
After spending his childhood on So Uk Estate, Tommy moved away in his teens and ‘lost connection’ with CMC. Then, as he approached his 30th birthday, he was invited to attend the hospital’s 30th anniversary celebration. He recalls that he would not be able to attend without the line-up of a former nurse, Sister Cecilia Leung. “Sister Leung visited my old home according to my admission record when I was born, and managed to track me down through a neighbour. We got in touch with each other finally.”
Tommy has since taken part in both the 40th and the 60th anniversary celebrations. “As I have got older, I have come to appreciate these milestones as times for reflection and gratitude,” he says. “CMC has expanded and modernised over the years, but the compassion and care it shows to people remain constant.” Tommy maintains a connection with Sister Leung and keeps an eye on the hospital’s development. He is grateful for the dedicated service provided by all its staff.
Consultant of the Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology Dr Ben Wong visited CMC often as a boy growing up on Lei Cheng Uk Estate, when he suffered regular bouts of illness. After graduating, he fulfilled his childhood dream by joining CMC and has now served in the hospital for 28 years. He faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 epidemic and in particular when he had to manage his department as Chief of Sservice through severe staff shortages and required deployment within a short time. “Despite being down to a third of our usual staff at times due to the isolation of colleagues after being infected, everyone banded together without concern for the workload,” he recalls, saying he was grateful for the mutual trust shown by his colleagues who also built a pool of shared resources.
“The greatest value of CMC lies in its commitment to serving the grassroots of the community, particularly the impoverished and elderly people in Sham Shui Po, many of whom are unable to care for themselves or afford medical treatment,” Dr Wong concludes, observing how CMC has stayed true to the same mission it had when he was a boy.
The hospital name ‘Caritas’ in Latin means charity and echoes the love and compassion shown by colleagues in their daily work, explains Hospital Chief Executive of CMC Dr Gladys Kwan (photo below). Looking ahead, she is focused on developing the smart hospital concept and streamlining workflows to ease the administrative burden. Dr Kwan hopes that the restructuring of services in the Kowloon West Cluster, which includes three acute general hospitals, would benefit more patients and provide staff with the opportunities to develop new projects.
“CMC celebrates its 60th anniversary which is also known as diamond jubilee. Diamonds are formed under tremendous pressure – much like our staff who endure challenges with steadfast love and care, bringing hope to our patients,” Dr Kwan says.
