The Making of a Success Story

No one enjoys being in a helpless situation, but what if you are born into it? Some people choose to face the obstacles in their lives and rise to the challenge. Callie Kwok is the protagonist of such a story. She is a young lady who has grown to be an inspiring leader despite the odds against her.

Callie was born with profound hearing impairment, and her world was almost devoid of any sound. But she was blessed with caring parents, who swiftly acted on her special needs and brought her to Suen Mei Speech & Hearing Centre. Callie was then unable to even pronounce a word, let alone a sentence. But having received six years of training provided by the centre, along with the continued support of her loving parents and her persistent efforts, she has become very fluent in articulating herself verbally.

Callie has also displayed outstanding potential in academics. She attends St Paul’s Convent School and excels academically. Callie enjoys a lively school life with her classmates. She also participates in public speaking competitions, and track and field relay races, which require good communication skills and team work. Callie did not always succeed on the first try. Driven by her resilience and passion for self-improvement, she has achieved amazing results.

Callie also displays two other admirable characters – kindness and empathy. She actively participates in community service offered by the Suen Mei Centre. She not only serves as a helpful leader figure to younger groupmates but also brings joy to the elderly she visits.

Callie was an awardee in the 2021 Hong Kong Outstanding Teens Election. This makes a statement that people are not defined by their disadvantages or disabilities, but rather by their character, willpower and talent.

The Chest has long dedicated itself to helping those in need. It has allocated funds to support the Suen Mei Centre to provide training to hearing impaired children to enable them to communicate verbally with others and pave their ways to success.