Volunteer Spreads Her Love and Laughter

Our Strategic Direction: Further engage the community by building strong relationships and gaining broader community support

When Siu Hing Luk enters a room, no one would guess that this woman with the bright eyes, floral pantsuit and girlish laugh is 93 years old. To this day, she demonstrates her perseverance and determination as she takes three buses to reach her destination—the Wing Kei Care Centre, where she is an active volunteer.

Her two-hour weekly visits to Wing Kei are the time she dedicates to give back to the community, be it sewing a button on a resident’s sweater or sitting with them side-by-side in prayer. “I have lived a very full and happy life and a number of years ago, I decided that I would show my gratitude for my fortunes by giving back to the community,” she says, noting that is how she came to Wing Kei. Mrs. Luk began volunteering with seniors in 1997 at Wing Kei Villa, the Chinese unit that was located in the Bethany Care Centre, and continues her commitment today at the Wing Kei Care Centre.

She recalls an experience, early in her volunteer career, where she sat beside a resident as she passed away. “It was an extraordinary feeling to be with that resident and give her love in her last moments on earth,” she says. The experience solidified her commitment to volunteering, and the enormous sense of fulfillment she feels in giving of herself. She adds, “If God gives me an extra day of life, I’d like to spend that day at Wing Kei so that I can spread love, knowing that in helping one resident, I’ve made a difference.”

And she does make a difference: she spends many an hour joking with residents, allowing her contagious laughter to resonate through rooms and down hallways, making its way to the ears and hearts of the residents she travels such a distance to see.