Eliza Fok

Chairman of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation (HKBCF), which she co-founded in 2005 with fellow doctor Polly Cheung, Eliza Fok’s accomplishments in the fight against the disease in Hong Kong are almost too numerous to mention. In 2007, Fok established the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Registry and then, four years later, the first Breast Health Centre, which in addition to educating on and promoting breast health, provides free mammogram screening to low-income women. It was also first NGO in the city to offer lymphoedema service. 2018 saw the opening of the HKBCF’s Jockey Club Breast Health Centre in Kowloon) and in the same year Fok presented the first Policy Address submission to the Chief Executive on population-wide breast-cancer screening; owing to these and related efforts, in 2021 the Department of Health launched the Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme for high-risk women aged 44-69. Fok, who was named Sing Tao’s 2017 Leader of the Year, is now advocating adoption of a population-wide three-step breast-screening programme, with a public-private partnership pricing model to alleviate the medical burden. Professionally, Fok says “early detection saves lives” has become a mantra and a mission. “Women are the family’s chief executive officer and chief emotional officer. They play crucial roles as leaders and pillars within families, and their health is vital for the overall well-being of the family, our community, and the next generation.” On a more personal level, she says, “No task is too big and no contribution is too small. It’s not enough to be compassionate.

We must act.”