Hong Kong Lung Foundation
1996 – 2006
Written on the occasion of its 10th Anniversary

The year 1994 saw the resounding success of the 13th Asian Pacific Congress of Chest Diseases (APCDC) in Hong Kong. Jointly organized by the Hong Kong Thoracic Society (HKTS) and American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP, Hong Kong & Macau Chapter) on 5-8, December, it was the first international chest conference in Hong Kong since 1981. Since then, Hong Kong has become an important arena for academic exchange among the international fraternity of respiratory medicine and related disciplines. Under the able leadership of Prof WK Lam, the Organizing Committee also reported a healthy financial account, which had enabled HKTS to exploit to full advantage the financial edge hitherto unavailable to the Society.

After due deliberations, HKTS resolved that a Hong Kong Lung Foundation (HKLF) be established for the benefit of the medical profession and the people of Hong Kong. Prof Mary Ip, then President of HKTS, drafted the terms of reference and administrative guidelines, while Dr William Chen led future Executive Board members to tackle the many operational details of setting up a limited company and its listing as a charitable organization, with invaluable help from Ms Eva Chow, subsequently Hon Legal Advisor, and Messrs Tam, Chu, Wong & Chan, subsequently Hon Auditor.

Following 18 months of preparation, the Hong Kong Lung Foundation Limited (HKLF Limited) was incorporated on 12 March 1996 with the following objectives spelt out in its Memorandum and Articles of Association:

To promote public education in respiratory health and disease;
To support research activities in respiratory diseases and health;
To support professional education and training in respiratory medicine and related disciplines.

The Directors of HKLF Limited were made up of the Council Members of the HKTS and Executive Committee Members of ACCP (HK & Macau Chapter). Profs WK Lam and Christopher Lai and Drs William Chen and HS Chan were the first Officer Bearers, while Executive Board Members included Drs Jane Chan, SL Chan, YC Chan, Prof Mary Ip, Drs CW Lam, Roland Leung, PL Nandi, SY So, CM Tam, Alfred Tam, CY Tse, Loretta Yam, Prof Anthony Yim, and Dr WC Yu. The names of the Office Bearers of HKLF Limited since its inception are listed as follows.

Office Bearers of Hong Kong Lung Foundation
Year	Chairman	Vice-chairman	Secretary	Treasurer
1996-1999	Professor LAM Wah Kit	LAI K W, Christopher	CHEN N K, William	CHAN Hok Sum
1999-2001	CHEN N K, William	Professor IP S M , Mary	CHAN Hok Sum	CHAN Yuk Choi
2001-2003	Professor IP S M, Mary	CHAN Hok Sum	YAM Y C, Loretta	CHAN Yuk Choi
2003-2005	CHAN Hok Sum	YAM Y C, Loretta	TSANG W T, Kenneth	MOK Yun Wing, Thomas
2005-2007	YAM Y C, Loretta	TSANG W T, Kenneth	CHAN Kin Sang	TAM Cheuk Yin

The first activity of HKLF Limited was the establishment of the HKLF Fellowship, to be awarded annually in support of overseas training for members and associate members of HKTS and ACCP (HK & Macau Chapter). The first recipients of the HKLF Fellowship in 1997 were Drs Ng Yiu Ki (Department of Paediatrics, QMH, for Paediatric Intensive Care training) and Ling Sai On (Respiratory Medical Department, KH, for training in Respiratory Medicine), Mr Yu Tai Wai, David (KH) and Miss Mak Ming Po, Patricia (PMH), both of whom received training in physiotherapy. To date, 23 members and associate members have received overseas training or attended conferences as HKLF Fellows.

The Young Investigator Award for the best paper presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of HKTS and ACCP (HK & Macau Chapter) was also established in 1996. The first awardee in 1997 was Dr Dominic Choy (Department of Medicine, PWH). Since then, eight specialists/trainees have been received this Award.

HKLF Limited continued to invest in meaningful activities pertaining to its objectives. Important milestones are listed below.

1999

Co-hosted the 20th Eastern Region Conference of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (ERIUATLD) in Hong Kong on 4-7 June, in partnership with HKTS, ACCP (HK & Macau Chapter) and The Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest & Heart Diseases Association.
Sponsored 69 investigators from the Mainland China to participate and present their research in the ERIUATLD.
Published a monograph on the ‘Current Management of COPD’, Eds Drs Thomas Mok and Kenneth Tsang, which was distributed free-of-charge to private and public doctors in Hong Kong.

2001

Established the HKLF Research Grant Award. The first awardees for 2001/02 were Drs Lam Bing (QMH), Thomas MOK (KH), Yu Wai Cho (PMH) and Dr Ng Kwok Keung (KWH). To date, 19 Fellows have received HKLF Grants to pursue research activities in various respiratory diseases.
Funded a press conference on ‘Health effects of smoking’ in collaboration with various professional societies including HK College of Cardiology, HK Obstetrics & Gynaecology Society, and HK Society of Radiotherapy & Oncology.
Established the HKLF website.

2002

Funded activities for the promotion of the ‘Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Guideline’, including a press conference, printing the GOLD Guideline for all general practitioners and printing relevant patient education material.

2003

Established the ‘COPD Hong Kong’ website www.copdhk.com.
Funded the production of GOLD Guideline CD ROM
Established four guidelines on infection control for four respiratory procedures in the Post-SARS era.
Funded the production of 5,000 copies of “SARS”, Volume 8 Supplement, Respirology, November 2003, for distribution to doctors in Hong Kong and mainland of China. The supplement is a collection of articles written by members of HKLF, HKTS and ACCP (HK & Macau Chapter) and respiratory specialist in the Asian Pacific Region.

2004

Established the Investment Subcommittee in May.
Established the Tse Yuen Man Scholarship.
Revamped the HKLF website to become a resource center in Respiratory Diseases and Lung Health. The Website became linked to COPD Hong Kong (GOLD) website at www.copdhk.com.
Co-hosted with HKTS, ACCP (HK & Macau Chapter) the 9th Congress of Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR) in Hong Kong on 10-13 December.
Sponsored 67 mainland investigators to participate and present their research at the APSR Congress.

2005

Funded a ‘Symposium on Avian Influenza (AI): In preparation for a Pandemic’ on 16 April, the first of its kind in Hong Kong. Experts from Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand discussed all aspects of these diseases, from epidemiology and virology to clinical issues and contingency plans.
Revised the rules governing the HKLF Research Grant Review Committee.

2006

Funded a press conference on the theme ‘Respiratory Health in Hong Kong: worsening scenario’.
Preparations for the 10th Anniversary celebrations.

On this auspicious occasion of the 10th Anniversary of HKLF Limited, may I congratulate the Foundation on realizing its vision and becoming a pillar of strength for the promotion of lung health in Hong Kong. May I also thank all who have ceaselessly contributed to the activities of the Foundation from its inception to the present day, without them HKLF Limited will not have been able to achieve its objectives. I am sure that, with the selfless efforts and cooperation of all its Executive Council and supported by HKTS and ACCP (HK & Macau Chapter), HKLF Limited will continue to grow from strength to strength, to further benefit the respiratory community and all the people of Hong Kong.

Loretta Yam
Chairman
Hong Kong Lung Foundation Limited
July 2006

10th Anniversary

Hong Kong Lung Foundation 1996 – 2006 Written on the occasion of its 10th Anniversary