190 Hong Kong youths and children receive scholarships backed by film star Tony Leung
- Jayden Luk, 16, and Kary Chan, 19, among those awarded by fund aimed at helping teenagers and children facing adversity
A 16-year-old Hong Kong fencer with childhood diabetes is among 190 recipients of a scholarship award designed to help young people and children with chronic illnesses or those who come from underprivileged families to chase their dreams.
Jayden Luk Chun-lok, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged six, received HK$20,000 (US$2,600) from the Hong Kong Paediatric Society Bright Future Scholarship on Sunday after the fund’s spokesman, film star Tony Leung Chiu-wai, donated HK$3 million and a famous painting to the scholarship fund earlier this year.
Jayden, who wears an insulin pump on his waist, told the Post he exercised great self-discipline, counting each gram of carbohydrates he consumed to control his blood sugar level and maintain his fencing performance.
He won a team gold medal for Hong Kong at the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships in Bahrain in February and an individual bronze medal at the World Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships in Saudi Arabia in April.
“My blood sugar goes down when I exercise, making me go weak at the knees and dizzy, and I would have to request a break from the referee,” he said of some of his previous matches.
But if the score was tight, he would push himself to finish the game, a physically challenging but rewarding experience.
“Way before I was diagnosed, I fell in love with fencing because of its strategic aspect and nothing could stop me from continuing to pursue my passion,” Jayden said, adding that he intended to spend his scholarship money on fencing gear and medical expenses.
The scholarship is dedicated to supporting teenagers and children with chronic illnesses, special education needs or from underprivileged backgrounds in recognition of their hard work and perseverance in a variety of fields.
At the award ceremony, Leung, who donated a work by the late Chinese painter Zao Wou-Ki for auction to support the fund’s increased scholarship awards from HK$10,000 to between HK$15,000 and HK$20,000 this year, said he hoped to draw greater attention to the needs of children such as the awardees.
“I hope the awardees will continue to work hard and chase their dreams with perseverance,” he said. “The scholarship offers not only financial support but also delivers an encouraging message that many people are rooting for them.”
Another recipient, 19-year-old Kary Chan Ka-yan, who will start at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology next month, also shared her story of overcoming adversity.
Her family had been struggling financially since her parents’ divorce a few years ago, and she had moved into a subdivided flat with her mother and younger brother.
“During the pandemic, I was so trapped at home that I was either on my bed or by the dining table, there was nowhere to go,” she said, adding that her emotional distress worsened when her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2020.
“It was a very hard time, I was scared that I would be left with my brother on our own and it felt as if life was playing a bad joke on us.
“I felt like giving up at one point because it seemed so unlikely that my family’s problems could be fixed.”
Chan struggled to share her plight with others at first, but slowly opened up with help from her social worker and schoolteachers.
Despite the burden, she not only shouldered the responsibilities of taking care of her family but continued to pursue her passion for basketball and qualified for Hong Kong’s under-18 team.
“After all these years, I am no longer afraid of obstacles – there is nothing I can’t conquer,” she said.
She added that she planned to spend her scholarship money on her family’s living expenses and her brother’s school fees.
