Birthdays should be filled with happy memories, especially for a child. Unfortunately, Gary's fourteenth birthday only brought bad news – he was diagnosed with bone cancer. "Cancer and death seem the same thing to children," he recalls ruefully. The treatment felt more like torture than cure in the early stages – undergoing some ten chemotherapy treatments, throwing up a dozen times a day, hair loss and persistent pain. Even worse, he had his left calf amputated to survive. Gary's family and friends walked him through the most difficult days with love and support. His doctor would come back to the hospital on days off to play chess with him. The medical staff would visit his home to offer Lunar New Year greetings.

Thanks to this strong bond with the medical team coupled with his own strong will, Gary recovered. Adopting the same mindset to overcome challenges and modelling the perfect doctor-patient relationship he once had, he later made it to the Faculty of Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, boosted by the award of a Jockey Club Scholarship to support his five-year medical studies. He also had more time to swim again, representing Hong Kong in the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled.

Gary is glad to grow with the Scholarship, and is proud to be a JC Scholar.

Gary eventually became an orthopaedic surgeon at Tuen Mun Hospital, the same hospital where he was cured of cancer. It was somewhat traumatic to reconnect with his care providers, but his own recovery served as a "magical cure" to encourage patients to undertake their treatment bravely. Whenever a patient agreed to have an operation, it would be his greatest encouragement.

Since he was a student, Gary has participated in many events promoting integration for persons with and without disabilities. Eager to take a leadership role in addressing social issues, he joined the Jockey Club Scholars Alumni Association to give back to society by organising social service activities. He now chairs the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth. By providing life and employment information to the disabled, he hopes that they can integrate into society and develop their talents. "The disabled are not necessarily those who need help; they can also help others," he notes.

Riding through the ups and downs in his life, Gary has transformed from a beneficiary into a benefactor.