Joanna Tse

Joanna Tse Yuen-Man (Chinese: 謝婉雯, 31 March 1968 – 13 May 2003) was a Hong Kong pulmonologist who died during the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong after volunteering to save patients with the syndrome.

Joanna Tse Yuen-Man

MBG
Bronze statue in the Taiji Yuan, Hong Kong Park
Born(1968-03-31)March 31, 1968
British Hong Kong
DiedMay 13, 2003(2003-05-13) (aged 35)
Tuen Mun Hospital, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong
Cause of deathSARS
NationalityHong Kong
OccupationPulmonologist at Tuen Mun Hospital
Known forVolunteering to take care of SARS patients, later dying from the disease

Early life

Tse was born on March 31, 1968. She grew up in Shek Yam, Kwai Chung, and studied at Salesian Yip Hon Primary School[1] and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Mrs. Wu York Yu Memorial College, earning eight A-grades in the Certificate of Education Examination in 1985.[2] She enrolled in the Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine and graduated in 1992, working at the Tuen Mun Hospital after graduation.[3]

Tse's husband Chan Wai-Hing, also a doctor, died of blood cancer in May 2002.[4]

On 30 June 2003, Tse was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal for Bravery (MBG) for volunteering to treat SARS patients during the outbreak. Of the six medical personnel who died of SARS, five were awarded the silver medal; Tse was the only gold medal recipient as well as the only woman.[5][6]

Anti-SARS action and death

In March 2003, SARS broke out in Hong Kong. Tuen Mun Hospital received three SARS patients, but there were not enough pulmonologists in the hospital. Tse volunteered to work in the SARS ward. She and a male nurse, Lau Wing-Kai, had intubated patients with terminal SARS, and were suspected to have been exposed to infected droplets.[7][8] She was hospitalized on April 3, and was transferred to the intensive care department on April 15. Joseph Sung from the CUHK and Yuen Kwok-yung from HKU had a joint consultation for her, but she died at 4 am (UTC+8) on May 13, 2003.[8]

After death and memorial

On the morning of May 13, the news of Tse's death was first reported on television and radio, which caused the mourning of many Hong Kong citizens. The media successively named Tse "Hong Kong's daughter" (Chinese: 香港的女兒). On May 17, Tse's father wrote a speech to the people of Hong Kong: "I hope that Tse's courage and sacrifice can encourage Hong Kong people to never give up and thanks to all people for their care towards her."[9]

On May 22, Tse's Sabbath was held. Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, several government officials and about 2,000 citizens attended. Her body was later buried in the Gallant Garden.[10][11] On the same day, Tung announced that he had previously requested the Finance Committee of the Hong Kong Legislative Council to allocate 200 million HK dollars (USD$25.71 million), of which 70 million (USD$9 million) was to provide assistance to infected medical staff, and 130 million (USD$16.71 million) of it was used for training of medical staff. To commemorate Tse, Tung decided to name the fellowship training fund "Dr. Tse Yuen-Man Training Fund" (Chinese: 謝婉雯醫生培訓基金)[12]。

Tse's deeds have been adapted by the Christian organization The Media Evangelism Ltd. into the television movie "Asian Heroes" and the film "The Miracle Box"; Wong Yin-ping, who attended a school Tse once attended, wrote "A Song to Be Lived" (Chinese: 一首傳世之歌; lit. 'A Song that is to be Kept for Generations') in memory of her. It was composed by Nicholas Tse and sung by Joey Yung.[13][14]

References
  1. "小學校長：學生典範". Apple Daily 蘋果日報. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  2. "婉 雯 輓 歌 師 友 既 悲 痛 又 自 豪". orientaldaily.on.cc. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  3. "沙士殉職醫生謝婉雯入學手冊曝光：做醫生為社會服務 - 香港經濟日報 - TOPick - 文章 - City". topick.hket.com. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  4. "入稟控告親家 令交出三百萬沙士英雌謝婉雯父母興訟爭亡女遺產". Apple Daily 蘋果日報. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  5. "醫護人員獲追授英勇勳章". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  6. "17年前，這位香港醫生於非典挺身而出，犧牲後全港哀悼… – 日日睇". www.daydayview.com. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  7. "沙士15 重返現場 6醫護不幸殉職葬浩園 至今不乏有心人墓前獻鮮花". 蘋果日報. 2018-03-05.
  8. "Volunteer Sars doctor dies of virus". South China Morning Post. 2003-05-14. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  9. "舊時香港". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  10. "6醫護葬浩園 市民從未遺忘 - 香港文匯報". paper.wenweipo.com. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  11. "紀念墓地—浩園,景仰園 – 天主教研究中心". Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  12. "醫護培訓基金取名謝婉雯". 香港政府新聞網. 22 May 2003.
  13. "容祖兒 - 一首傳世之歌 < 樂壇 | jgospel.net 福音站.com". www.jgospel.net (in Chinese). Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  14. "出CD 港星容祖兒祭唱抗炎殉職醫生謝婉雯". people.com.cn. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
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