Ms Ng Yuk-lan, Senior Customs Officer, Customs and Excise Department

A regular blood donor and registered bone marrow donor — Senior Customs Officer, Ms NG Yuk-lan — received a phone call two years ago from the Hong Kong Red Cross informing her that results of sample analysis had shown that her bone marrow was a complete match to a patient suffering from acute leukemia.

Being a wife and a mother of two children, Ms Ng knew that chances of finding a perfectly matched unrelated marrow donor were extremely low. Without any hesitation she agreed to donate her bone marrow, and she felt grateful for the full support from her family for this decision.

Through this donation, Ms Ng realised that hematopoietic stem cells of the bone marrow could be extracted from her arm, which is different from the traditional method of extraction from the pelvis. The process did not require general anesthesia and after the surgery, she only needed to rest for a day before returning to work. The impact on the body and daily life is much lighter than that of the traditional extraction method.

Ms Ng’s selfless act has helped the patient get a new lease of life. In December 2022, she was granted “Heroic Volunteer Award” at the Hong Kong Volunteer Award 2022 in recognition of her altruism. Her demonstration of unselfishness has not only projected a positive image of Customs and Excise Department but also fostered a positive response across the Department by raising awareness about bone marrow donation. She also appeals for people’s support in registering as bone marrow donors to promote the spirit of helping others and helping themselves.

Mr Lee Ho-yin, Divisional Officer, Fire Services Department

Mr Lee shared, “I was nominated by the Fire Services Department, in which I am now serving, for the Hong Kong Volunteer Award 2022 jointly organised by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Agency for Volunteer Service, I was awarded the Heroic Volunteer Award.

One day in January 2021 when the COVID-19 epidemic was raging, I happened to see an old man suddenly collapse and fall unconscious on a street in Mong Kok when I was off duty. Since he didn't breathe and had no pulse, I immediately administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him. After the arrival of my ambulance colleagues, I helped them connect the automated external defibrillator (AED) to the old man to deliver defibrillation shocks to him. Eventually, his heart rhythm was restored to normal and he was then sent to hospital for treatment. I was pleased to learn later that the old man recovered and was discharged from hospital.

I would like to share this experience with everyone to highlight the importance of timely CPR and defibrillation, as every minute of delay could reduce the survival rate of a cardiac arrest patient by 7 to 10%. While saving lives is a day-to-day job for firefighters, I understand very well that by saving one life, we are actually helping their loved ones too.”