The passing of Dr. Wong Wing-yee, a beloved physician at CUHK Medical Centre, deeply shocked Hong Kong. Known for her compassionate care and her volunteer medical work in third-world countries, her death has left a void of immense sorrow. Yet, that sorrow is now transforming into a legacy of kindness, continuing through a scholarship she co-founded with her best friends and a Tabebuia chrysantha (yellow trumpet tree) planted in her memory at her old school—nurturing the growth of future students.
Wong and her secondary school best friends, Melissa Cheung Pik-yin (currently Director of RTHK's Chinese Channels) and Cho Suet-lin (currently Principal of Caritas Ma On Shan Secondary School), graduated together from TWGHs Yau Tsz Tin Memorial College in Tuen Mun. Though their careers led them on different paths, their bond remained strong. Before her passing, Wong had already planned with her two close friends to establish a scholarship at their alma mater as a way of giving back for the nurturing they received. Taking one character from each of their names, they jointly named it the "Wong Pik Suet Wings Fund"—a tribute both to giving back and to their enduring friendship.
What makes this scholarship special is its focus. It does not prioritize academic or athletic achievements. Instead, its sole purpose is to help students facing financial difficulties broaden their horizons. The funding covers extracurricular activities, overseas exchanges, and competitions, giving younger students the chance to step outside the classroom and explore a wider world. The inspiration for this scholarship came directly from Wong's own life experiences.
The school's principal, Mr. Ip Wai-yee, recalled inviting Wong back to campus last year as a guest speaker. On stage, she shared a personal story that was far from smooth sailing. Having lost her father at a young age, her family's finances were tight, and she never had the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities. Her path to becoming a doctor was fraught with setbacks, including recurring health issues and even a period of eye disease. Then, calmly addressing the teachers and students before her, she revealed that she herself was living with terminal cancer.
It was precisely because of this childhood regret—missing out on extracurriculars—that Wong hoped the "Wong Pik Suet Wings Fund" would enable her juniors to achieve the dreams she herself couldn't pursue back then.
The three friends had originally planned to return to their alma mater together in March for a tree-planting ceremony, a gesture of thanks for establishing the scholarship. With Wong now unable to attend in person, her mother took her place, joining Cheung and Cho to plant the Tabebuia chrysantha on the school grounds. Principal Ip explained that this particular tree was chosen not only because it suits the local environment but also because its flower language carries the meanings of "gratitude" and "the happiness of returning"—a perfect symbol of the emotional connection between the school and its graduates. "Students may not miss the school building itself," he reflected, "but they will always remember their classmates and teachers. This tree and this scholarship represent precisely that bond of friendship and affection."
The compassion and kindness Wong extended to her patients and to the people of Hong Kong will now live on, season after season, with the blooming of the yellow trumpet tree. And every junior student supported by the "Wong Pik Suet Wings Fund" will, in their own way, carry forward her courage and her spirit.
