Newsletter No. 493

08 # 4 9 3 | 0 4 . 0 3 . 2 0 1 7 Photo by ISO Staff You have been actively striving to better the welfare of paediatric cancer patients. Why? Care and support are of vital importance to childhood cancer patients and survivors. Successful treatment of paediatric cancer is only the start of a patient’s road to restoring normalcy in life; childhood cancer survivors are still prone to health issues including drug side effects, complications, and even cancer recurrence. In addition, treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant etc., could lead to a decline in memory, learning skills and even fertility. Therefore despite their recovery, childhood cancer survivors still face enormous difficulties, ranging from academic, career, social and daily life, etc. My urge to offer assistance and support drive me to push forward the establishment of various childhood cancer support groups. In what ways do these support groups assist childhood cancer patients? Childhood cancer support groups offer a wide range of resources and support to patients. Take Little Life Warrior Society as an example. The Society holds various activities that connect paediatric cancer patients and parents, providing a social platform where they can support and share experiences with each other. The Society also recruits retired teachers to provide free tutoring lessons to patients. As childhood cancer survivors are prone to infection and require at least one year to recover, the Ronald McDonald House Charities provides them with a ‘home’ that is located near their hospitals. This ‘home away from home’ provides each patient a private bedroom to convalesce in a clean and pleasant environment. Families can also stay close to the patients, which is important to the sick children’s physical and psychological well-being. What is the state of paediatric cancer in Hong Kong and what are the preventative measures that we could take? Acute leukaemia, brain tumour, lymphoma, neuroblastoma and Wilms’ tumour are common types of cancer in children. Around 180 children are found to have developed cancer each year. While the number of paediatric cancer patients in Hong Kong remains steady throughout the years, the chance of cure has jumped from 20% to 30% in 1960 to around 80% nowadays. Apart from cases of inherited cancer, the causes of most pediatric cancers are still unknown. Therefore, it is vital for people with a strong family history of cancer to pay close attention to any signs of abnormality. The Prince of Wales Hospital has a specialized clinic, which provides regular body checks and follow-up for children with inherited cancer. For others, the most effective preventative measures would be to strengthen one’s immune system by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. How is your life after retirement? I have been busy participating in charities since I retired in 2003. I continued teaching as it has always been my aspiration to pass on knowledge and experience to future generations. I still follow up my old cases. Since 1991, the Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the Prince of Wales Hospital has carried out over 400 bone marrow transplants and I have developed profound friendships with many childhood cancer patients. At my 80th birthday celebration event organized by the Faculty of Medicine, a lot of my patients arrived with their families. It was a delight to see my patients starting a new life despite all the hurdles along the way. What is your advice to medical students interested in paediatrics? I would greet them with warm welcome. I would be very glad if my teaching has aroused students’ interest in paediatrics. A paediatrician has to be both caring and detail-minded. Paediatric treatments, especially for premature babies, are extremely complex. But if you put your heart and soul into it, this role would bring you unparalleled delight and satisfaction. 你一直積極為兒童癌症病人爭取更好的待遇及福利，可否與我們分享你的 理念？ 我認為無論是患病還是康復中的癌症病童，都十分需要關顧與援助，因為對於病 童及家人來說，治病只是第一步，康復者投入正常生活的路途仍然崎嶇漫長。雖 然大部分癌症病童在完成治療後，都能如正常人般生活，長大後更可貢獻社會， 但藥物副作用、併發症、甚至癌症復發等情況亦時有發生，而癌症療程如化學治 療、放射治療、骨髓或血幹細胞移植等，亦有機會令少部分病童產生長遠後遺症， 如他們的記憶、學習、甚至生育能力方面或受一定損害，故康復後仍要面對學業、 工作、社交以及生活等各方面問題。為病童及家人於治療及康復期間提供支持及 幫助，就是我成立兒童癌症團體的背後理念。 兒童癌症團體為病童提供甚麼協助？ 兒童癌症團體為病童提供的資源和協助是涵蓋各方面的，比如「生命小戰士會」 透過舉辦不同活動，讓病童及家屬互相認識，建立支援網絡。組織亦邀請到不少 經驗豐富的退休老師，義務為病童補習功課。另外，由於康復者手術後身體虛弱， 易受感染，需要至少一年時間恢復，香港「麥當勞叔叔之家」就為病童家庭在醫 院附近提供設備齊全的「臨時家園」，每個病童都有獨立房間，地方乾淨舒適，除 可讓病童休養外，亦方便家人照料，對促進病患者的身心康復非常重要。 香港兒童癌症概況如何？有何預防方法？ 香港兒童癌症常見的有白血病、腦瘤、神經母細胞瘤和腎母細胞瘤，病患者數目一 直維持在每年約一百八十個，但病癒率已由1960年時的百分之二十至三十，大幅 提升至現時約百分之八十。兒童癌症除了部分源自家族遺傳等先天因素外，很多 的病因都未有明確外來因素。所以若家族中有癌症病史，就要多加留意，而威爾斯 親王醫院亦設立了「家族性腫瘤篩查」門診，跟進一些或有家族遺傳的兒童癌症 病童，替他們作定期檢查。除此以外，我們能做的就是維持健康的生活習慣，如多 吃菜蔬，多運動等，增強免疫能力，以減低患病風險。 可否談談你的退休生活？ 我於2003年退休，現時大部分時間都投放在慈善活動，以及兼任大學的教學工作 上。能夠將我多年來累積的學問及經驗薪火相傳予下一代，是極具意義的事。另 外，我仍堅持繼續跟進舊症病人。自1991年起，威爾斯親王醫院的兒童骨髓移植 中心已進行超過四百個兒童骨髓移植手術，我於其中見證不少病人的成長，與他 們建立了深厚的感情。去年醫學院為我舉辦的八十大壽慶典中，有不少康復者及 家人出席，看到他們成功跨過重重障礙，重過新生，實在令我感到很欣慰。 對有志修讀兒科的醫科生有何建議？ 我當然非常歡迎醫科生加入兒科，我常說若我的教學能鼓勵到那怕只是一位醫科 生決定修讀兒科，我已十分滿足。兒科醫生不但要有愛心，亦要極度細心。須知兒 科病症的治療極為複雜，特別是早生嬰兒的情況更甚。但若能投入其中，這個崗 位帶來的快樂及滿足感是無可替代的。 阮文賓教授創立或參與之兒童癌症團體包括： Some childhood cancer support groups that Prof. Yuen Man-pan founded or participates in: 兒童癌病基金 Children’s Cancer Foundation 生命小戰士會 Little Life Warrior Society 麥當勞叔叔之家 Ronald McDonald House Charities 愛心童樂營 Camp Quality Hong Kong 阮文賓教授 Prof. Yuen Man-pan • 醫學院兒科學系榮休教授 Emeritus Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine 口 談 實 錄 / V iva V oce