"I confront my chronic illness positively and care for my fellows. I hope that they can also face their illnesses optimistically." Although unfortunates came one after another, Ms TAM Man Chun is still able to show optimism and affect other patients with her experience, helping them walk out of their gloom.

Right after her son was born in 1994, Man Chun was diagnosed Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The symptoms of SLE include muscle pain, nausea and vomiting, headache, depression, painful and swollen joints. She lost her working ability as fatigue or overexposed to sun aggravates her illness. Five years later, her husband passed away because the doctor misdiagnosed his liver cancer as gastric cancer. Man Chun never gives up because of her son. However, bad luck befell again in 2005, she was diagnosed cervical caner.

"I didn't accept the reality of getting cancer at the beginning. I had already giving my best effort to my life, why am I always the one? However, I had never thought of ending my life because my son needs me."

To learn more about her illness, Man Chun first contacted the HKSR. She joined the mutual support group run by the HKSR Community Rehabilitation Network and came to know other SLE patients. She realized that she was luckier than many others and does not feel lonely anymore.

Apart from the support group, Man Chun and her fellows always keep contact to support each other and do voluntary work together. She comprehends lives can be flourishing as long as she does not drown her mind in illness.

 

"We have willpower though we are disabled. We can take care of ourselves as well as our families. We will also help others if we can."

 

With her optimism, Man Chun transformed from a patient who needs help to someone who helps others. She is reborn as a Phoenix, but in 2007, there are more than 11.5 million¹ people with chronic illness just like Man Chun. HKSR aims to provide rehabilitation training, self-management courses and caring services to elderly and people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. They need your generous support to walk through the long rehabilitation road.

 

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1 Census and Statistics Department. (2008) Special Topics Report 48：Persons with disabilities and chronic diseases