According to a study published by the University of Hong Kong several years ago, it was found that as many as 110,000 people in Hong Kong suffer from rare diseases. Patients and their families often exhaust themselves physically and emotionally in their quest for treatment. In order to provide support to rare disease patients and their families, the Community Rehabilitation Network has collaborated with the patient self-help organization, Hong Kong Myopathy Association. In 2024, we officially launched the first-ever “Rare · Together – Rare Neurodegenerative Disease Community Support (Pilot) Program” in Hong Kong, targeting the rare disease community. The Community Rehabilitation Network adopts a “patient-community-medical collaboration model” to establish a more comprehensive community support network for rare disease patients. Through online resources, telephone consultations, case management, disease self-management groups, peer support, and psychosocial services, we aim to provide appropriate assistance to individuals aged 18 or above suspected or newly diagnosed with rare neurodegenerative diseases and their caregivers.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust allocated nearly HKD 520 million in funding in 2016 to implement the ten-year “Jockey Club Enhancing End-of-Life Care Program.” The program’s partners include the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, the Jockey Club Institute of Ageing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Geriatrics Society, the Christian Family Service Centre, the Community Rehabilitation Network, the St. James’ Settlement, and the Anglican St. James’ Settlement Elderly Services. The program aims to improve the quality of community end-of-life care services, provide training for professionals in the field, and organize public education activities. One of the program’s partners, the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, commissioned a social policy research company to conduct a survey in the third quarter of last year. The survey found that approximately 70% of the respondents had never heard of “palliative care,” and the majority of the respondents also indicated that they had never heard of “advance care planning” or “advance medical directives.” The survey revealed a significant lack of awareness and understanding regarding end-of-life issues.

The Jockey Club “Parkinson’s Care” Parkinson’s Disease Care Program (2023-2026) is sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. It is jointly organized by the Centre for Behavioral Health and the School of Nursing at the University of Hong Kong in collaboration with the Community Rehabilitation Network. The program aims to establish a comprehensive and sustainable community care service model for the Parkinson’s disease community, promoting “early awareness of the condition, early diagnosis and rehabilitation support, and early care for physical and mental well-being.” It also aims to promote overall social involvement and care for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. In implementing the Jockey Club “Parkinson’s Care” Parkinson’s Disease Care Program, the Community Rehabilitation Network aligns its community rehabilitation support services with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). This approach provides individualized community support and rehabilitation service matching for patients and caregivers, aiming to enhance their physical and mental adaptation, connect with fellow individuals on the same journey, and improve their ability to cope with Parkinson’s disease and their overall quality of life.

In response to “World Stroke Day,” Swire Properties, in collaboration with the Stroke Research Group at the University of Hong Kong, the Community Rehabilitation Network of the Hong Kong Rehabilitation Society, and New Health Society, launched the Stroke Health Exhibition at Taikoo Cityplaza. The exhibition aimed to enhance public awareness of the causes, prevention, and treatment of stroke, encouraging individuals to pay attention to their own and their family’s health. The three-day exhibition offered free health checks and consultation services to the public, assisting them in recognizing stroke symptoms and preventing strokes. Additionally, the exhibition provided comprehensive community information and support for caregivers. Exhibition highlights included: free health checks and consultation services, a charitable sale of blood pressure monitors, curated by renowned illustrators to uplift patients and caregivers, and the opportunity to experience the newly introduced stroke rehabilitation intelligent “Self-Therapist” service. Interactive games were also available at the exhibition, where participants received exquisite gifts by answering questions.

The competition was organized by the Lei Cheng Uk Centre of the Community Rehabilitation Network and has invited participation from the Kowloon West Injury and Health Centre. This program creatively combined competitive sports and psychosocial approaches. Through experiential dart sports, it aimed to promote the more effective application of acceptance and commitment therapy techniques for stroke and heart disease patients. These techniques helped individuals address negative self-evaluations, such as feelings of worthlessness or inability, as well as negative emotions like anxiety, sadness, and depression. This approach contributed to improving their psychological well-being and prepared them to face the ups and downs of the recovery journey. Dart sports serve as a relatively novel intervention method that easily attracts and benefits young patients, male patients, and those with significant physical limitations. It effectively increases their social engagement, thereby enhancing their sense of accomplishment, confidence, ability, self-worth, and facilitating personal transformation in life.

Starting from December 2020, the Community Rehabilitation Network has introduced the internationally emerging Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) through the ACT initiative. It has obtained patent authorization to become the only service provider in Hong Kong offering the ACTivate Your Life Program in Chinese. Through an 8-hour course, participants gradually learn to accept things in life that cannot be reversed and coexist with negative thoughts and emotions that cannot be changed. At the same time, participants learn to live in the present moment, take proactive actions, and lead a meaningful life. After numerous efforts, the application of ACT has been implemented in various units of the Rehabilitation Division, and it will continue to be applied and developed in the future. The Community Rehabilitation Network joyfully witnesses users integrating their gains and losses in the process, recognizing their inner abilities and values, and achieving transformation in their lives.

According to data, approximately 1.8 million people worldwide die from Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) each year. Currently, only about 20% of ACS patients participate in rehabilitation programs after undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures. Among them, the participation rate of young working-age individuals in rehabilitation is the lowest, indicating an unsatisfactory situation. The Hong Kong Rehabilitation Society’s Community Rehabilitation Network, in collaboration with the “Caring for Your Heart” program, will jointly organize the “FitHeart Cardiac Rehabilitation Academy” from 2023 to 2025. The aim is to hold a quarterly program to attract working ACS patients to participate in cardiac rehabilitation. The Community Rehabilitation Network will organize a total of 8 different types of activities or courses, including life skills, exercise, financial management, and hobbies. These activities will be scheduled on weekday evenings from approximately 8 to 10 PM or on weekends to facilitate the participation of individuals after work. The goal is to attract patients to participate and understand the importance of cardiac rehabilitation through various themed classroom sessions, thereby establishing a healthy lifestyle.

“Uncommon Art: The Power of Rare” Exhibition is organized by the Community Rehabilitation Network of the Hong Kong Rehabilitation Society, in collaboration with the Rare Art Student Team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as two self-help organizations for rare disease patients, namely the “Hong Kong Myopathy Association” and “Copper Heart Companions – Wilson’s Disease Patient Organization.” The exhibition utilizes community art as a platform for public education and advocacy, aiming to create an experimental project that involves rare disease patients in participation, mutual support, and empowerment. The two artists, Tiger and Daisy, express their extremely rare but deeply resonating perspectives through photography and artwork respectively. The exhibition’s title, “Uncommon Art: The Power of Rare,” reflects the connection to “Rare Disease.” Rare diseases, as the name suggests, are medical conditions that affect a very small number of people. It is estimated that there are approximately 8,000 rare diseases worldwide, and research indicates that Hong Kong alone has around 110,000 rare disease patients.