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Testimonials & Feedbacks

As a core team member, I had to join multiple outreach sessions without having a fixed duty, therefore I got the chance to observe different volunteers.

 

I witnessed many of them transforming from shy, quiet people during training sessions (or even the first few outreach sessions) into talkative, caring individuals throughout the journey in CU CHAMPION.

 

They were also more willing to talk to one another, often not from the same major, when they were relatively free. I think it is a really good opportunity to encourage mutual understanding among professions.

Man Shing Hin, Pharmacy Student

This was my first exposure to a long-term summer volunteering program, which was an eye-opening experience.

 

I was responsible for the health summary station, in which I had to summarize health check data and provide brief counseling services to the elderly. The position seemed unimportant but actually I also had to double-check the data sheets of each elderly to make sure nothing was missed out or mistaken. I realized that I will involve in the healthcare service sector soon; one day I would certainly be checking patients' forms and data, collaborating with colleagues to minimize human mistakes.

 

What is more, I would be serving 40-50 patients in an afternoon just like what I did during the service program. I believe it was a good opportunity for me to expose to clinically-related environments and real life situations, thus understand the proper attitude and communication strategies that I should adopt in order to become a better medical practitioner.

Leung Yiu Joe, Medicine Student

This outreach program is rewarding as there were many opportunities to explore more about different aspects of community and geriatric healthcare. In the beginning, I thought that community and geriatric healthcare was simply about reducing the number of elderly people with chronic illnesses.

 

Afterwards I realized that this is just only part of the picture. The outreach sessions enabled me to collaborate with schoolmates from different professions such as medicine, pharmacy and social work.

 

By working with them, I observed that in order to achieve better health, many measures need to be taken on top of individuals living with healthy habits. I truly believe that this experience enabled every participant to prepare themselves for their future career through dedicating themselves for better community health.

- Law Kar Lun, Nursing Student

People often stereotype elderly people suffering from chronic illnesses as physically incapable, unhappy and isolated individuals. But with constant care and enough attention, these old people can also lead happy and fruitful lives. In my outreach experience, they often surprised me with witty answers as I conducted health screening questionnaires.

 

It was also interesting to listen to them as they shared their stories in life. I guess people have such stereotypes because they haven't devoted enough time for the elderly. Actually, with a little more patience and understanding, they are more than willing to share with us about themselves. This is when we should take the opportunity to empower them with the ability to take charge of their own health. All members of the healthcare team play an essential role in it.

- Wong Hoi Chun, Pharmacy Student

I recognized that many elderly people had various chronic diseases. Common ones included high blood pressure, osteoporosis and visual problems, which forced them to lead a healthy lifestyle in order to extend their lifespan. Most of them exercised regularly, avoided sweet, oily and salty food, and quit drinking and smoking so as to avoid those aging-associated diseases.

 

Their determination and perseverance reminded me that as a future doctor, I should also reflect on my own lifestyle so as to become a role model for my own patients.

Wong Tsz Him, Medicine Student

This is my second year joining CU CHAMPION, and I chose to be a participant in order to have a more in-depth understanding of the elderly’s situation. Every elderly person came with his or her own stories. They tended to disclose personal information to a person just-met, only because they believed that we went for good.

 

During conversations, it was easy to discover that many of them lived alone without any support from family or neighbors. Though several elderly people lived with their children, the young ones were too busy earning a living.