簡介
Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15
Focussing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.
(Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)
最新
Grace Chan, Art Therapist at the Providence Garden for Rehab, The Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council
Grace Chan, Art Therapist at the Providence Garden for Rehab, The Hong Kong
Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council
Good morning, I am delighted to share with you the health benefits of Art Therapy
today. The Providence Garden for Rehab in Tuen Mun is one of the largest rehabilitation buildings in Hong Kong, operated under the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council. This centre provides innovative and multidisciplinary rehabilitation services to around 1,000 individuals, including people in recovery and persons with
intellectual or physical challenges.
The Providence Garden for Rehab focuses on holistic rehabilitation, it is community-oriented and advocates for integrated body-mind-spirit development. We aim to enhance the living standards of our service users, so that they can live independently in a caring and accepting environment. Also we hope to promote their integration into the community through various rehabilitation programmes, with a particular focus on art therapy.
Art Therapy combines the creative process with psychotherapy, guided by qualified art therapists. This approach has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, resolve emotional conflicts, improve self-esteem and self-awareness, and alleviate physical pain.
Research over the past two decades has demonstrated the significant positive effects of the arts on health and well-being. In 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) European Region issued a report based on over 3000 studies, identified a major role for the arts in the prevention of illness, promotion of health, and management and treatment of health issues across the lifespan. The growing evidence informed us that by engaging in the arts and the creative process, it benefits various emotional, mental and physical health conditions of individuals.
What sets Art Therapy apart from traditional talking therapies is that the non-verbal component engages the five senses through visual, tactile, and sensory art forms. For example, a person who is going through grief could create a collage picture utilising printed photographs of the loved one, and expressing the emotions using visual and symbolic metaphor. A person who is angry, could safely release anger and frustration by pounding some clay, transforming the negative energy by modelling a tactile clay piece into something meaningful and reflective of the current life experience. The
creative art process is a direct channel to support emotional release and self-exploration of an individual in a safe and positive way, which often could not be fully expressed by words alone. It empowers the individual to feel more grounded and understood, and fosters healing and positive change.
Through our individual and group art therapy services, I engage with a diverse range of ages, from youth to adults, including their caregivers. I've worked with many people facing anxiety and depression, who have found art therapy to be a valuable complement to traditional psychiatric treatment and therapy, enabling them to increase self-love and self-awareness. Additionally, our caregivers’ group has gained attention, as many caregivers experience stress and burnout often. In collaboration with social workers, we offer Art Therapy self-care and stress-reduction groups specifically for caregivers.
Our organisation’s rehabilitation service is also actively involved in promoting mental health and reducing stigma in the community. Through public education art therapy exhibition, the public can get to know the thoughts and feelings of people living with various health challenges through their artwork. We organised a public art exhibition last year named “Art Tales – Our Illustrated Stories” with the support of the Arts Development Fund for Persons with Disabilities. We would continue to organise programs and exhibitions so as to engage the community for public education and stigma reduction purposes.
In the future, The Providence Garden for Rehab will continue to offer art therapy programmes, public education initiatives, and various mental health support groups to bridge service gaps and promote social inclusion and harmony in our Hong Kong community.
This morning I would like to dedicate a song “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran to fellow audiences, maybe you are a caregiver, someone who struggles with depression, or just having thoughts of anxiety from time to time. Remember to practice self-care and take a deep breath. Find a safe space to relax, whether in nature or at home, and consider creating art while listening to music. Allow yourself to take things slowly, sitting with your emotions and understanding that they are part of you. Embrace the ups and downs and the rich inner emotions as part of life’s adventures, and let the colours, shapes and lines of the art creation reflect your life. May you be well and be blessed abundantly!
02/03/2025 - Grace Chan, Art Therapist at the Providence Garden for Rehab, The Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council
重溫
Dr. Yvonne Tsang, Member of Advisory Council, Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation
On this week’s Hashtag Hong Kong, we are joined by Dr. Yvonne Tsang, Member of Advisory Council from Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation to talk about breast cancer.
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Good morning. Today, I want to talk about a very important health issue that affects many women in Hong Kong. It’s breast cancer. I know it’s not an easy topic to talk about, but it’s crucial. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in our city, and the numbers are indeed pretty alarming.
In 2021, over 5,500 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. It’s a staggering increase—five times more than in 1991. This means that one in every 13 women in Hong Kong will face invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, with an average of 15 women dying from the disease every week.
The median age for breast cancer patients in Hong Kong is 58, which is younger than in places like the U.S. and Australia. This affects many women in their prime, leading to emotional and financial struggles. Notably, over 94% of breast cancer patients are over 40, and the risk increases as we get older.
Now, let’s talk about the risk factors. The Hong Kong Breast Cancer Registry has identified ten high-risk factors, including: Positive family history, early menstruation late first childbirth and no breast feeding.
These factors are in some ways beyond our control, but there are some risk factors that we can manage and reverse such as being overweight, lack of exercise, and a meat-heavy diet, use of alcohol, hormonal therapies and high stress levels.
For symptoms of breast cancer, I have to emphasize that many a time early breast cancer does not give you any symptoms. However, some common symptoms to watch for are: Painless lumps in the breast or in armpit, discharge from nipple, nipple retraction and changes in skin like orange peel.
So, how can we catch breast cancer early? Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation recommends that women over 40 follow a three-step routine:
1. Monthly self-exams
2. Clinical check-ups every two years
3. Mammograms every two years
It’s all about staying proactive! We cannot control whether we will get sick or not, but what we can do is if it really happens, we catch it early and we keep our bodies fit to fight against it.
While personal actions are vital, systemic support is also essential. Countries like the UK and United States and places in Asia such as South Korea and Taiwan have population screening programs, Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation is advocating for a similar rollout in Hong Kong. We are pleased to see that the government launched a Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme in 2021, but more needs to be done.
Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation supports the “Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address”, which aims to develop risk-based screening programs for prevalent cancers. We hope the government will commence phase 2 of the Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Programme soon to provide screening for high-risk women. We believe population screening can reduce cancer diagnoses at late stages and lower death rates.
To conclude, breast cancer is a major health concern for women in Hong Kong. Early detection saves lives, and regular screening is crucial. Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation offers breast screening services, cancer support services and educational talks and research on breast health.
Now, I would like to dedicate the song “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson to all of you for listening. Let’s all stay informed, prioritize our health, raise awareness and support those affected by breast cancer. Fight against breast cancer, for a better place, a better Hong Kong.
