How Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation’s chair turned a cancer diagnosis into strength

Sep 23, 2025

Cover Eliza Fok, a breast cancer survivor and chairperson of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

Eliza Fok, a breast cancer survivor and chairperson of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

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Ahead of this year’s Pink Walk, Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation chair Eliza Fok reflects on surviving breast cancer and building the city’s most comprehensive support system for patients and survivors.

“I was very scared and in self-denial,” says Eliza Fok, the chairperson of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation, who was diagnosed with breast cancer 22 years ago. “I couldn’t believe this was happening to me.”

Back then, breast health was rarely discussed openly, and myths and taboos about treatment prevailed. Initially hesitant about chemotherapy, Fok was reassured when her university friend, Dr Polly Cheung, introduced her to a patient who had undergone the treatment. “She appeared vibrant and well as if she didn’t receive the treatment at all,” Fok recalls. “That reassured me and made me realise how vital it is for patients to have a support network.”

Inspired by this, Cheung, Fok and a group of doctors and patients founded the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation in 2005. What began as a small volunteer effort has grown into a city-wide network of doctors, nurses, psychologists, patients and survivors. Today, it is Hong Kong’s first and largest organisation dedicated to breast health education, patient support, research and advocacy.

This year, it celebrates its 20th anniversary with a series of events, including its flagship Pink Walk, the annual charity fundraiser at the Peak on October 19, held in conjunction with International Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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Above From left: Polly Cheung, Alice Mak Mei-kuen, SBS, JP, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs and Eliza Fok at the 20th anniversary gala of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

From left: Polly Cheung, Alice Mak Mei-kuen, SBS, JP, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs and Eliza Fok at the 20th anniversary gala of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

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Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Hong Kong. In 2022 alone, the Hospital Authority’s cancer registry reported diagnoses of 5,182 women (and 26 men) with invasive breast cancer. Yet one of the biggest challenges many patients face is not only medical but emotional—support from family and friends is often limited because patients choose to stay silent. “Many patients don’t want their husbands or children to worry,” Fok explains.

To counter this silence, Fok prioritised building a trusted network of patients and survivors. “They feel more comfortable sharing their feelings and asking for advice when they realise someone in the group has gone through the same journey,” she says.

The foundation, since the first day, has been offering services that include counselling, educational talks, free wig programmes, bras and bandages, comfort packs, as well as group activities ranging from interest classes to exercise sessions. To date, it has supported patients aged between 20 and 93 more than 330,000 times.

Above Pink Walk at The Peak (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

Pink Walk at The Peak (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

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On the medical front, the foundation launched the Breast Health Centre in 2011, offering risk assessments, breast health examinations, consultations and diagnostic procedures. Nearly 200,000 patients have benefited, with almost 3,000 diagnosed through mammograms and ultrasounds.

Another milestone is the drug financial assistance programme, which has eased the burden for nearly 2,000 eligible patients, providing a total of over HK$32,000,000 (US$4.1 million). The organisation has also funded cutting-edge equipment for detection, treatment and research, and in 2017 launched the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Registry to collect critical patient data.

Integrative care is also part of its mission. In 2021, the foundation opened its first traditional Chinese medicine clinic to help manage chemotherapy side effects such as insomnia and constipation. In 2023, it added the Lymphoedema Care Centre to improve mobility after treatment.

Above Eliza Fok (2nd from left) and her team at the launch of the mammogram screening programme (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

Above A collection of Hong Kong Breast Cancer Registry reports (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

Eliza Fok (2nd from left) and her team at the launch of the mammogram screening programme (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation)

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Fok is determined to push for a city-wide government breast cancer screening programme. “Globally, 34 places, including mainland China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, already promote public screenings,” she says. “Hong Kong can certainly do more to raise awareness and prioritise breast health.”

Pink Walk remains one of the foundation’s most visible campaigns. More than a fundraiser, it promotes exercise as a preventive measure. “Research suggests lack of physical activity is a cause of breast cancer, so we want this walk to encourage healthier lifestyles,” she says.

Reflecting on the past two decades, she admits the journey has not been easy: volunteers, including herself, often juggle day jobs, and the financial strain of providing services remains high. But witnessing patients’ resilience pushes her forward. “What has kept me motivated is seeing patients arrive in tears but leave with a smile,” she says. “Our work is not only about curing disease but about caring for the ‘heart’. Survivors often form a close-knit community, and I hope this community continues to grow.”

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Topics

Breast cancer Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation Eliza Fok Health Front & Female

Zabrina Lo

Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.