SOTY 2023/24: Best Improvement winner excelled despite hardship and loss
Seventeen-year-old Chiu Tsz-kwan was determined to do right by her late father’s wish for her to do well.
Chiu Tsz-kwan is a 17-year-old student at Jockey Club Government Secondary School. Photo: HandoutWhen Chiu Tsz-kwan was in Form Two, just as the Covid-19 pandemic began, her father’s health began to rapidly deteriorate.
This was only the beginning of a series of struggles for her family. First, her father was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and then her mother was diagnosed with stage IV cancer.
“It was a tough time with both of them unwell. I was trying to support them while also focusing on my studies,” Tsz-kwan, now 17 years old, explained.
Despite the immense pressure on her, the Jockey Club Government Secondary School student stayed determined.
Her father was the primary breadwinner, and when he fell ill, the family had to rely on her older brother for financial support.
“The most challenging part, I think, was taking care of my family. There was nothing I could really do to help them,” she shared.
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Though she sometimes felt powerless, Tsz-kwan found small ways to support her family.
“My mother’s illness put a lot of psychological stress on her, and she was frequently disheartened. So, aside from physically caring for my family, I also had to keep her feelings in mind and give her company,” she reflected.
Even as her father’s condition worsened, Tsz-kwan remained focused on her studies. “I didn’t take leave from school and would spend time with them during holidays,” she said.
The emotional weight of her father’s illness was heavy, especially when he was hospitalised. Tsz-kwan visited him daily after school.
“One day, out of the blue, he started talking to me about planning my future, things he wouldn’t normally bring up. He also gave me a significant amount of pocket money and told me to take care of the family. Just a few days after that conversation, he passed away,” she shared. “When I heard him say these things, I felt he might be leaving. It was as if he was giving me his blessings to pursue these goals.”
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Despite the loss and challenges in her life, Tsz-kwan ventured on. She became a Head Prefect and actively worked within the student council.
“Sometimes, younger students would have disputes and come to me for help. I learned many different ways to assist in resolving conflicts or, if necessary, to seek help from a teacher,” she noted.
In her work with the student council, Tsz-kwan also played a key role in organising events. “We also held various events, like ‘Care Week,’ which included multiple activities,” she said.
Excelling in a leadership role and focusing on her studies despite loss and her parents’ health challenges earned Tsz-kwan the Best Improvement award at the Student of the Year Awards, organised by the South China Morning Post and solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Despite the hardships she has faced, Tsz-kwan remains optimistic and resolute.
“I want to tell people not to give up. When I faced challenges, I felt the pressure, but I kept remembering what my dad had said to me before he passed,” she said. “I knew I could not give up because I wanted to make my loved ones proud.”