Bringing 3,200 participants to the Haiyan emergency front line
 
MSF Orienteering Competition 2014 was successfully held in Cheung Chau today. Over HKD 5 million was raised to support MSF medical humanitarian work worldwide. Based on the typhoon Haiyan emergency in the Philippines as a background, an operating theatre and a mobile clinic were set up in the Event Centre, to give participants a glimpse of life-saving work on the emergency front line.
 
Mr. Rémi CARRIER, Executive Director of MSF-Hong Kong, said that the Haiyan typhoon caused more than 5,000 deaths and left millions of people displaced. Many of them lost their homes, families and friends. MSF distributed relief items and provided the much needed medical assistance in the affected areas.
 
Officiating guest and Secretary of Justice Mr. Rimsky YUEN Kwok Keung, said that while Hong Kong people have access to good quality medical care, it is not the case in many areas around the world. But thanks to over 20,000 MSF field workers, medical assistance to those in precarious situations becomes possible. Their lifesaving efforts deserve that public recognition.
 
Officiating guest and Convener of Non-official members of Executive Council Mr. LAM Woon Kwong said although he had known MSF for years, it was not until he came across an MSF field doctor during the preparation for the Olympic Equestrian Competition that he started to learn more about MSF’s humanitarian spirit. Since then he has paid more attention to the news related to MSF. He said that humanitarian spirit is an universal value, and he appreciates that MSF puts it into actions by providing assistance regardless of ethnicity, political affiliations and national boundaries.
 
Officiating guest and Dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at HKU Professor Gabriel Matthew LEUNG used “benevolence” to conclude the mission of medical professionals. “Medical students start learning how to become medical professionals with benevolence since Year 1. There are many places in the world where medical care is much needed. If we can train more medical professionals with benevolence and humanitarian spirit in Hong Kong, it will be a blessing for Hong Kong and also elsewhere in the world.” He said. He added that MSF is often the first one to arrive and the last one to leave during humanitarian crises. Its work deserves more support from the public, and he hoped that front line humanitarian work could be promoted in medical schools.
 
Officiating guests visited the front line operating theatre in the Event Centre, and watched a drama about the story of a typhoon victim, to learn more about how MSF works in the Philippines during typhoon Haiyan emergency.
 
This year the number of participants has reached a record high of over 3,200 people, with the youngest participant aged only 2 years old and the oldest aged 71. 
 
Leading personalities from different sectors also joined the Guest Run to show their support. They include (in no particular order):
 
The Hong Kong Medical Association (Dr. CHAN Ka Shing, Dr. Francis CHOW Yuen Hon, Dr. WONG Kee Lam, Dr. Kevin HO Kai Wah) – Champion 
Hotels.com (Mr. Abhiram CHOWDHRY, Ms. Anita NGAI, Mr. Boon Sian CHAI)
Collyer Logistics International Limited (Mr. Hanspeter KERNER, Ms. Rosemarie FRANK, Ms. Lily YAP, Mr. Rick BARON)
Morn Creations (Mr. Steve CHAN, Ms. Wendy LEE, Mr. Brian LAU, Ms. Connie LEI) – 1st runner-up
MSF-Hong Kong (Dr. Maria GUEVARA, Ms. Jenny TUNG, Ms. Nicole RUGEBREGT, Ms. Sabina SIMMONS) – 2nd runner up 
 
The MSF Orienteering Competition has been the largest event of its kind in Hong Kong since it was launched in 2002. The competition provides an opportunity for participants to catch a glimpse of the challenges encountered by our field workers on the front line. The support from participants and donors allow us to continue provision of medical assistance in more than 60 countries.
 
The event is co-presented by Orienteering Association of Hong Kong. Special thanks go to Campaign Partner Hotels.com; Mission Partners Collyer Logistics International Limited and Morn Creations Limited; Field Partners Omron Electronics Asia Limited and Popwin Giftware Manufacturing Co., Limited. The event is also supported by the Cheung Chau Rural Committee.
 

 

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