Dr Yuen is currently the Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Society of Palliative Medicine and is a member of the APHN Council.
What’s a common misconception about your profession that you’d like to clear up?
I am a specialist in both clinical oncology and palliative medicine. Some colleagues have the misconception that they need a lot of time to introduce palliative care to patients. I think this is a matter of how to communicate effectively. Oncologists have the rapport with patients and their families to communicate effectively regarding patient’s preference in cancer care and personal care options. There is a global trend to integrate palliative care as part of routine oncology service and dual-specialist training have been established in Hong Kong to facilitate the integration of oncology and palliative care.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career?
It was challenging to take care of cancer patients during the covid pandemic. With social distancing, many relatives were not allowed to accompany cancer patients until their condition became critical. There was on and off shortage of staff when too many of them fell sick. Apart from provision of personal protection equipment, we had also introduced new technologies and organized psychological support to staff. The lesson I learned was to be patience, empathetic, flexible, innovative and most important of all a positive mindset. I am sure you share similar feelings.
How do you like to start your day?
I usually wake up naturally when the sun rises. This is a time when I have a fresh mind to solve problems. I hope I can enjoy the rest of the day trouble-free afterwards though very often this is not the case. Life is full of surprises!