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Family Story: Speeding up recovery through play

Three- and four-year-olds are usually active, curious, and full of energy—traits that are important for their physical and mental growth. But for three-year-old Angus, things took a different turn when he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disease that made his childhood a lot tougher than most kids, including his twin sister Avery. Luckily, after moving into the Ronald McDonald House in Shatin with his family, Angus started to find his happiness again in that loving and supportive place, and he’s been getting healthier every day.

Wing and her husband Avis first thought their son just had a little cold, but this small episode has turned out into many sleepless Easters. Back in April, Wing’s youngest, Angus, had a high fever for two days and was complaining about foot pain. What worried her even more was that he couldn’t swallow properly while eating. Wing realized things were serious and rushed him to the emergency room right away.

“We rolled into the emergency room at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Shatin early in the morning, feeling anxious and uneasy. Before long, the doctors came over to talk to us about our son, Angus, and it was a string of worrying news. They started with CT scans and MRIs, and then we got hit with the news that Angus needed to be moved to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.” When Wing recalled the moment they diagnosed his son with that rare disease, Guillain-Barré syndrome, her eyes went red, and she just couldn’t hold back the sadness.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is a rare condition where the immune system goes haywire and starts attacking the body’s own peripheral nerves. Kids with GBS usually feel weakness and tingling in their legs, and it can quickly spread to their arms and upper body. Since there aren’t many kids with GBS, there’s not a lot of solid information on how to treat Angus.

Angus’ condition is acute. Right after he got moved to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, the doctor gave him some specific drugs, but they didn’t work as well as they had hoped. So, the doctor suggested he go through a blood washing treatment to try to turn things around and help him feel better.

“After running a bunch of tests, the doctor figured out that Angus had an upper respiratory infection from a cold, which messed with his motor nerves. Because of that, he started feeling pain in his feet,” Wing said. “About a week after he got the immunoglobulin shot, Angus still wasn’t getting better, and his coordination wasn’t improving much either, so the doctor decided it was time to try blood washing.

After the sixth round of blood washing, Angus’ condition has improved, and he’s started to regain mobility in his hands and feet, though his feet are still a bit stiff. The doctor recommended long-term intensive physiotherapy to help with his foot issues, gradually restore his daily living skills, and set him on the path to recovery and growth once again.

Stay at Ronald McDonald House, Shatin

After running back and forth between home and the Prince of Wales Hospital every day to look after Angus, Wing was feeling totally drained, both physically and mentally. Luckily, her family lives in Shatin, and they’ve been taking turns helping out with her son, which has taken some of the pressure off her. But Wing knew this isn’t a long-term fix, and she wanted to figure out a better way to balance taking care of both her son and daughter. When the doctor heard about her struggles, he immediately referred the family to Ronald McDonald House in Shatin (Shatin House) through the medical social worker, so Wing could take care of the kids more easily.

“The roomy space at the Shatin House quickly turned into a rehab playground for Angus, especially with his sister Avery cheering him on,” Wing said.

The location is nice, away from the city’s hustle and bustle, which helped relieve a lot of Wing’s stress. Plus, the House has everything they need, so she didn’t have to worry about the basics. “Thanks to Angus’s grandma, aunt, and other relatives live nearby, and they come by to help out with Angus and Avery whenever they can. They play with the kids and make sure they feel loved,” Wing added. They often brought us groceries and meals, which gave me more time to relax and take care of the kids without stressing out. And their dad came over to stay with us on weekends and holidays.”

Wing also mentioned that Angus and Avery settled into the House quickly, especially loving the big indoor play area. When Angus first saw it, he was excited to play, and it became a huge motivation for his recovery. Both of them are drawn to all the different toys, and they can spend most of the day playing and learning new things at the same time.

Self-made playland

To help speed up his son’s recovery, Wing got creative with the games and toys around the House to boost Angus’ motor skills. Angus loves toy cars, ride-on toys, and little bikes, which were perfect for him to work on his foot muscles and coordination. Even the way they set up the House, with kid-friendly furniture at the dining table, turned out to be great for Angus as he practiced walking. Since he’s so into toy cars, he’d often make his way over to the window opposite the play area, using it like a racetrack and zooming his toy car along the sill. This way, he could have a blast playing all afternoon.

“Every day, Angus would walk up and down the stairs, carefully leaning on the railing. He put in the effort day after day to strengthen the little muscles in his legs, and he started getting his strength back,” Wing shared. “To make things more fun, we used a bucket of water to help kids practice splashing water with their legs. This activity can strengthen their mobility and improve their coordination. It’s a great way for Angus to get some exercise and bond with his sister.”

Since being admitted to the hospital and then moving to the Shatin House, Angus has made huge strides in the last six months. He’s now able to walk on his own, zip around on his toys, and explore the House.

Angus has been through a tough recovery with a rare disease, but thanks to his family’s support and the love and care from the Shatin House, he’s gradually getting back to good health in this happy environment. Through play and physical therapy, he not only regained his ability to walk but also got closer to his sister Avery. This journey not only brought Angus back to the joy of being a kid but also brought his family together.

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      For enquiries, please contact House Team through the information below:


      Tel: (+852) 2947 8778 (Office Hour: 09:00 - 18:30)
      Fax: (+852) 2947 8780
      Email: Kwun Tong House - [email protected]; Shatin House - [email protected]

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      10公里: HK$1,800 或以上
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      全程馬拉松: HK$2,500 或以上

      參加者請按以下指定金額於「其他金額」空格內輸入合適金額。

       
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      全程馬拉松: HK$2,500 或以上

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      Sha Tin House

      Item
      Boxed Tissue Paper
      Toilet Rolls
      Alcohol Wipes
      Disinfecting Wipes
      Disinfectants or Antiseptic Liquid for Household Cleaning
      Dishwashing Detergent
      Kitchen Sponges
      Laundry Powder and Softener
      Medium Size Rubbish Bags

      Kwon Tong House

      Item
      Boxed Tissue Paper
      Toilet Rolls
      Disinfecting Wipes
      Jif Cleanser
      Kitchen Sponges (Non Scratch)
      Laundry Powder and Softener
      Rubbish Bags(51cmx51cm -white)
      Towel
      Saran Wrap / Ziploc Bag/ Aluminium foil

      Not Accepted Items

      Sha Tin House

      Item
       
       
       
       
       
       

      Kwon Tong House

      Item
       
       
       
       
       
       

      Toys

      Sha Tin House

      Item
      Switch Games
      Plush Toys (Vending Machine)
      “Lego”  Toys
      “Marvel”  Toys
      “Frozen”  Toys
      Electronic Products

      Kwon Tong House

      Item
      Switch Games
      PS5 Games
      “Lego”  Toys
      “Marvel” Toys
      “Frozen” Toys
      Electronic Products

      Application Form

      Hidden
      First Name (Same as ID card)(Required)
      Last Name (Same as ID card)(Required)
      Document links cannot be larger than 5 MB.
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      Maximum 5 documents and each with a file size limit of 5MB.
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        IN THE KITCHEN/Food Bank

        ItemQty.Approx Monetary Value(HK)
        Organic Sunflower Cooking Oil (500ml)

        30 bottles

        $2400
        Vegetarian Rice Noodles

        30 packs

        $1800
        Soup Packets30 packs$1280

        Organic Gummy Bears (25g x 10)

        30 packs$2100
        Organic Biscuits (400g)30 packs$1200
        Enviromental Friendly Dish Washing Detergent30 pcs$1800
        Saran Wrap / Ziploc Bag/ Aluminium foil/Butter paper30 pcs$1200

        SPONSOR A HOUSE MEAL / DIRECT SERVICE

        Item Details Approx Monetary Value(HK)
        Fresh Fruits Sponsor weekly fresh fruits for 60 guests $3000/month
        Fresh Meat Sponsor weekly fresh meat for 60 guests $4000/month
        Organic Vegetables Sponsor monthly fresh vegetables for 60 guests $4000/month
        Supermarket Coupons Sponsor monthly supermarket coupons for 60 guests $4000/month
        House Meal Sponsor a House Meal for 60 guests $6000/meal

        AROUND THE HOUSE

        Item Qty. Approx Monetary Value(HK)
        Liquid laundry detergent & softener 30 sets $2100
        Facial box tissues 250 boxes $1000
        Toilet Rolls 30 packs $1200
        Garbage bags for house unit 51cmx51cm (white) (50 pcs/pack) 30 packs $750
        Trash bags for kitchen (black) (100 pcs/pack) 5 packs $650

        IN THE KITCHEN/Food Bank

        ItemQty.Approx Monetary Value(HK)
        Organic Sunflower Cooking Oil (500ml)

        30 bottles

        $2400
        Vegetarian Rice Noodles

        30 packs

        $1800
        Soup Packets30 packs$1280

        Organic Gummy Bears (25g x 10)

        30 packs$2100
        Organic Biscuits (400g)30 packs$1200
        Enviromental Friendly Dish Washing Detergent30 pcs$1800
        Saran Wrap / Ziploc Bag/ Aluminium foil/Butter paper30 pcs$1200

        Kitchen Supplies

        Sha Tin House

        Item
        Kitchen Scissors
        Kitchen Peelers for Carrots & Potatoes
        Extra Large Size Rubbish Bags (Heavy Duty)
        Kitchen Plastic Wrap with Easy Cutter (550 ft)
        Glad Aluminium Foil (75 ft)
        Cleaning Towels

        Kwon Tong House

        Item
        Kitchen Scissors
        Kitchen Peelers for Carrots & Potatoes
        Kitchen Plastic Wrap with Easy Cutter (550 ft)
        Glad Aluminium Foil (75 ft)
        Cleaning Towels

        Daily Supplies

        Sha Tin House

        Item
        Boxed Tissue Paper
        Toilet Rolls
        Alcohol Wipes
        Disinfecting Wipes
        Disinfectants or Antiseptic Liquid for Household Cleaning
        Dishwashing Detergent
        Kitchen Sponges
        Laundry Powder and Softener
        Medium Size Rubbish Bags

        Kwon Tong House

        Item
        Boxed Tissue Paper
        Toilet Rolls
        Disinfecting Wipes
        Jif Cleanser
        Kitchen Sponges (Non Scratch)
        Laundry Powder and Softener
        Rubbish Bags(51cmx51cm -white)
        Towel
        Saran Wrap / Ziploc Bag/ Aluminium foil

        Food Items

        Sha Tin House

        Item
        Cooking Oil 
        Dry Noodles or Pasta – Udon, Buckwheat Noodles, Rice Noodles, Macaroni
        Cereals–Corn Flakes, Oatmeal
        Supermarket Coupons

        Kwon Tong House

        Item
        Cooking Oil 
        Dry Noodles or Pasta – Udon, Buckwheat Noodles, Rice Noodles, Macaroni
        Cereals–Corn Flakes, Oatmeal
        Soup Packets
        Soda Crackers (Individually packed)
        Supermarket Coupons
        Eggs (10pcs./Pack)
        Fresh Fruits (weekly)

        Donor Contact Information

        Item Details

        Estimated Value *
        Drop files here or
        Max. file size: 5 MB, Max. files: 5.

          For enquiries, please contact House Team through the information below:


          Tel: (+852) 2947 8778 (Office Hour: 09:00 - 18:30)
          Fax: (+852) 2947 8780
          Email: Kwun Tong House - [email protected]; Shatin House - [email protected]