Hong Kong man marks 33rd birthday with living wake
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
Former photographer Tsang Kam-yuen (曾錦源), also known as Hunter, was diagnosed with hereditary cerebellar atrophy after seeking medical help for unsteady walking on the eve of his 18th birthday . Fourteen years later, on the Chung Yeung Festival marking both the 14th anniversary of his diagnosis and his 33rd birthday, he held a “living farewell party” at Jockey Club Home for Hospice in Sha Tin . He said that after fighting the disease for more than a decade, he no longer feared discussing death and wanted to gather family and friends while his physical condition had not deteriorated further . The event was framed not as a moment of despair, but as a chance to review his life, experience the meaning of life and death firsthand, and encourage others not to avoid the subject of dying .
Key Points
- Tsang said the diagnosis initially left him angry, devastated and at one point suicidal, and that it took him three full years to gradually accept reality .
- As the disease progressed, his neurological function kept declining, weakening his hands so he could no longer properly hold his beloved camera .
- His speech articulation, swallowing ability and capacity for daily activities have also become increasingly limited as the irreversible condition advanced .
- As a home-care patient of the Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care, he joined wish-fulfilment trips around Hong Kong and later visited Macau and Zhuhai with support teams .
- He said attendance at the farewell party exceeded expectations, while doctors, teachers and friends took turns sharing how his life had inspired them .
Why It Matters
Hunter’s story brings public attention to how people with rare degenerative diseases in Hong Kong navigate long-term decline, emotional distress and end-of-life planning . It also adds a human face to discussion of advance medical directives, which academics and care workers at the event said he had actively advocated for in recent years .