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Yuen Wing Ki
2023 JC Scholar
Wing Ki suffers from the genetic disorder osteogenesis imperfecta, commonly known as "brittle bone disease". With bones that break easily, it is not difficult to imagine she has been a frequent hospital patient over the years and learned to overcome pain and other difficulties. Despite these severe challenges, she has become an accomplished para table tennis player, and started her studies in Animation and Digital Arts at Lingnan University this year. Being so prone to injuries, she has had to undergo orthopaedic surgery many times. How did she surmount all these hurdles? "I don't want to worry my family," Wing Ki says. "Although it was really painful, I chose to keep it to myself." Looking back, she was amazed that she could handle it all. She is also grateful to her doctor who made the best decisions on her operations, reducing the number of injuries.
Wing Ki participated in the 2019 IWAS World Games for Women with Disabilities TT1-5 Singles Open and won a bronze medal.
Stress inevitably arose when Wing Ki had to deal with both illness and school work. She learned to destress by drawing and playing table tennis, a sport that made her family worry when she started to learn it. "My mother was very protective of me when I was a kid, and seldom allowed me to participate in any outdoor activities," she recalls. "The ping pong touched a raw nerve with her at first. Yet as she saw me growing over the challenges, she let me decide what to do."
Enjoying a close family relationship, Wing Ki has been inspired by her mother’s helpful spirit, while her elder sister has influenced her decision to study animation.
Since Wing Ki started her university programme, she has maintained an intensive training schedule, hoping to strike a balance. "I train four to five days a week, but I also want to be more involved in school life and get to know more friends. I hope that one day, I can produce an animation film about people with disabilities, advocating for an inclusive society."
