TPK Kwok Family Charitable Fund donates HK$10 million to provide eyecare support and cataract operationcause

The HKUMed Department of Ophthalmology announced yesterday (Nov 29) that they had received HK$10 million in funding from the TPK Kwok Family Charitable Fund and launched the Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Kwok Charity Cataract Surgery and Research Programme.

The Programme will allow 1,000 disadvantaged patients to receive a free comprehensive eye checkup, along with 500 patients set to receive a cataract operation with the premium intraocular lenses at the university with comprehensive follow-up medical checkups.

Cataract is the leading cause of weakening vision and blindness, but the longest waiting time for the ophthalmology department of the hospital could be up to 219 weeks, and if it is determined that the patient does indeed suffer from cataracts, they will have to wait an additional one to two years to get a cataract operation.

The founder of the Charitable Fund, Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong, said that he also suffered from cataract before and understood the disadvantages of life, along with its pressure on mental and psychological health.

He said that he hopes to lessen the wait in public hospitals for cataract patients, along with providing urgent care for the grassroots, through the donation.

All persons applying for the scheme have to be suffering from financial difficulties, currently undertaking Comprehensive Social Security Assistance or other forms of living welfare allowances. They will be reviewed and recommended by social workers, and have to have been waiting for a cataract operation for over a year. Any patient whose condition has worsened will be given priority.

TPK Kwok Family Charitable Fund, since its establishment, has been aimed at helping the disadvantaged group, along with promoting the multi-faceted development of youngsters and children, having donated to various sports, education, healthcare projects, etc., and working alongside over 50 charities.