Raymond Chan got his dream job as a physiotherapist and wants to change other lives through his own. “We cannot change the fact that illness exists, but we can change the quality of life.”

Back in the 1990s, physiotherapy was still a fairly unfamiliar concept to the public. Raymond was only in secondary school at that time, but he ended up forming a deep impression of it. When his grandmother was sent to an elderly home, Raymond realised the vulnerability of the human body. “There are many types of sickness and pain like stroke or physical disability that are incurable,” he says. When medication fails, patients often struggle mentally, and even medical advice may be viewed negatively. Raymond thinks that physiotherapy, on the other hand, can help to alleviate part of the pain and negative effects by helping patients improve their bodily functions. “We cannot change the fact that the illness exists, but we can change the quality of life,” he said.

Raymond believes he was born to help others. Even during his third year of secondary school, he was already eager to organise and participate in volunteer programmes. Having decided on pursuing physiotherapy as his goal and purpose in life, he completed his studies at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and succeeded in getting his dream job, living out the mission of physiotherapists – which is to change others’ lives through his own.

As an inaugural recipient of the Undergraduate Scholarship in 1999, he co-founded the Jockey Club Scholars Alumni Association (JCSAA) three years later to gather fellow Scholars from different fields and backgrounds. Making good use of their different professions and talents, they organised various volunteer activities and offered free tuition to the needy in society.

On one occasion, JCSAA organised a kite-flying activity with a boys’ home, with an aim to set 100 kites to the sky. Unfortunately, a typhoon hit Hong Kong on the big day and the kites all got wet and broken – but nobody gave up. They restored the kites within a week before the end of summer vacation and this time, they succeeded. Raymond always remembers the bright smiles on the teenagers’ faces as the kites flew high into the sky. At that moment, they were all overwhelmed by their achievement and regained confidence. To Raymond this was an inspiring experience, encouraging him to always stay true to himself, whether in work or life.

This story was originally published on The Hong Kong Jockey Club's "With You. Then. Now. Always." website.