The founder of an athletes’ support group praised the spirit and generosity of Hong Kong people after they raised around HK$2.5 million for cancer patient and beach volleyball player Kelvin Lau Tsz-ho in one day.
Maria Chan Siu-san, of We Are HK Athletes, said Hong Kong’s sporting community, along with the public, were quick to reach into their pockets to collect four times the amount the 25-year-old was hoping to raise to pay for leukaemia treatment.
“We learned that Kelvin needed financial support urgently and shared his plight and started calling for other athletes to help him immediately,” said Chan, a Sars survivor from the 2003 epidemic. “We feel strongly that it’s not an athlete’s case, it’s our case, not because we know Kelvin personally but also because he is part of our Hong Kong athletes’ community.
“We want to show our support to him and we are glad that we were able to make some contributions. We are also super happy that so many of the media, athletes and public responded to his call swiftly.
“We have conveyed our support to him to fight against this battle. We believe he will definitely win.”
Lau on Monday launched an appeal to raise HK$600,000 to pay for a course of Blincyto, a US Food and Drug Administration-approved drug that reduces the number of white cells in the blood. The drug is not included on the Hong Kong Hospital Authority’s list of subsidised medications.
Lau was first diagnosed with leukaemia in the summer of 2018 when he was forced to return to Hong Kong from the Asian Games in Indonesia because he felt unwell.
He received a bone-marrow transplant from his older sister in February last year and after several rounds of chemotherapy, the cancer went into remission. However, a recurrence was diagnosed in early July and he has since undergone four chemotherapy sessions.
Lau said he was overwhelmed by the support he has received from the Hong Kong public and his fellow athletes from the Hong Kong Sports Institute and elsewhere. He said he would discuss with his doctors on the best course of treatment and what to do with the extra money he raised.
“I was very shocked that we raised so much,” Lau told the Post. “Because we have met the target already, we decided to make an announcement that people can stop donating.
“And I will ask for more information from doctors and decide how the money is to be used.”
Lau revealed earlier that his treatment may involve a number of phases. The first course of medication would cost HK500,000, which is covered by donations from charities and individuals.
However, he needs to bear the cost of follow-up treatment and therefore went online appealing for funds. The initial HK$600,000 he asked for included Blincyto medication as well as other medical-related expenses.
In an emotional Facebook post, he sent a message of thanks to strangers and friends who came together to help his cause.
“I’m just a lad who has been silently working hard for my sporting dreams,” he wrote. “You may have never met me but I am so overwhelmed. I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep last night.
“I assure you that all receipts for expenditure will be clearly set out to ensure the money is being used for treatment,” he added, suggesting that other sufferers may also benefit from the funds.
“I thank you all again for making me feel the deep love that you have sent me. At the same time, I hope that you will continue to share your generous heart to other people in the community. Thank you everyone.”
