Speeches

World Symposium of Congenital Malformations of
Hand and Upper Limb 2018
Opening Ceremony
8 March 2018 (Thursday)
Speech for SFH

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Professor Josephine Ip (Chairman of Organising Committee),
Dr Ping Tak Chan (President of the Hong Kong Society for Surgery of the Hand),
distinguished speakers and guests, ladies, and gentlemen,

 

  1. Good afternoon. It gives me great pleasure to join you this afternoon for the opening of the World Symposium of Congenital Malformations of Hand and Upper Limb 2018. Let me first extend my warmest welcome to all of you, especially those who have travelled a long way to join us today.
  2. The objective of this conference is to enhance worldwide collaboration to provide best possible management of congenital upper limb problems in children and to provide the best platform for knowledge exchange on the current practice. Indeed, it has always been saddening to hear stories of deformity in children. In recent years, the topic of congenital malformations has drawn attention from clinicians and healthcare professionals who are devoted to helping the unfortunate ones to increase their capacity to overcome challenges in their lives due to congenital malformations.
  3. Local surgeons in Hong Kong have profound experience of reconstruction surgery with patients in Hong Kong and from Mainland China. Our healthcare professionals have also acquired and developed surgical skills through handling adult hand injury mostly caused by accidents in the production industry about half a century ago.
  4. It has never been an easy task for patients with congenital malformations to lead a normal life. But with the concerted efforts of doctors and therapists, together with families and schools, we could offer our best support to the patients in need. The sharing of knowledge at the Symposium this year will also help enhance public education and parent counselling, as well as reduce risk of abuse or abandoning of children with deformity.
  5. It is also assuring that the Symposium not only presents to us the updates on clinical treatments and surgical techniques, but also enlightens us on the recent achievements in Genetic Science which could enhance our understanding, and hence prevent recurrence of deformity.
  6. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Hong Kong Society for Surgery of the Hand for organising this Symposium and offering an excellent platform for experts from multiple disciplines to exchange the latest developments and findings on helping patients with congenital malformations.
  7. Last but not least, may I express my heartfelt appreciation to the professionals and academics who have made tremendous contribution in this field as well as to all speakers for sharing with us their insights and experience. I wish the Symposium every success and for our overseas delegates, a pleasant stay in Hong Kong. Thank you.
12 Apr 2019