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Never surrendering to life

Dorothy Tse: “Stay true to yourself, don't be distracted by the ever-changing environment.”

At times we all become overjoyed or filled with sorrow – but what Dorothy experienced was unspeakable hardship. It started in Form 4, when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Then when ready to return to school, she fell victim to physical co-ordination disorders. “I consulted nearly 100 doctors, but none of them knew the cause,” she recalls. “I was even doubted for ‘playing sick’. I felt terrible. My health worsened, and I even lost the ability to speak and had difficulty swallowing. Further intimidated by my bipolar disorder, I just wanted to put an end to everything.” Tears come to Dorothy’s eyes when she recalls those tough times.

Fortunately, she had her parents’ full support, and an amazing psychiatrist from Guangzhou turned up at the critical moment. She was diagnosed with a rare neurological symptoms disorder due to the side effects of prescribed drugs.

While recovering, Dorothy could not attend any of her high school lessons. Yet with her past outstanding academic performances, she remained confident her self-study could help her get through the public exams. However, she then missed the public exams for three years due to physical and mental health issues. With her persistence, she eventually succeeded at her fourth attempt and was admitted to Hong Kong Baptist University’s Academy of Music, earning a Jockey Club Scholarship for her excellent results.

“I made a promise to complete the exams, and proved myself by doing so,” Dorothy says. “The Scholarship not only recognises my ability, but has also given me an opportunity to meet JC Scholars from different backgrounds. They have their own goals, and have given me advice on how to achieve mine.” She now often volunteers to help other patients suffering from mental disease. “I had a fear of Kwai Chung Hospital as I once had to stay there, yet I knew I couldn't just escape from that fear. I decided to join their volunteer team and redeem myself by helping others.” Dorothy hopes to study music thanatology in the future, using the power of music to benefit the public’s mental health.

Did you know?

Established in 1998, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships are one of the Club’s programmes to nurture local talent. To date, some HK$870 million in scholarships have been approved, supporting more than 1,000 students. Apart from undergraduate students, the scheme was expanded in 2015 to include students with special educational needs and those in vocational education. It also supports postgraduate students to pursue further studies at top notch universities in the world. The Club has extended the Scholarships to two further schemes in 2023 to support outstanding students with top scores in the public examinations and students who have achieved excellence while demonstrating resilience and strength of mind to overcome adversities in life to pursue their studies in Hong Kong. The Club also provides JC Scholars with opportunities for further learning, personal development and social service.

Information updated to Nov 2023

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