‘Cancer saved me’: Hong Kong survivor finds new purpose ahead of canoe challenge

Thirty-one years ago, Hongkonger Raymond Lo Shu-yuen was diagnosed with stage four liver cancer and had a quarter of the organ removed.

Now 75, Lo said the illness, despite its physical and mental toll, had taught him invaluable lessons about ageing, health and making the most of life.

“I can say that the cancer itself saved me,” he said.

“Why? If I did not have this illness, I would not have changed my past lifestyle such as working hard like a dog, eating a lot of junk food, doing no exercise or workouts, keeping no pets and other lovely animals.”

Today, he is preparing to embark on a 65km (40 miles) solo canoeing challenge between Tung Chung and Ma Wan, aiming to raise funds for cancer patients and promote public health awareness.

Lo was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1995, at the age of 44. He said he had no symptoms until a routine physical check-up revealed a shadow on his liver. Subsequent CAT scans and blood tests confirmed the disease.

Though initially shocked, he said he quickly accepted the diagnosis. As a hepatitis B carrier, he faced an increased risk of serious liver complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Surgery successfully removed a quarter of his liver. During his recovery, he said he felt weak, lost his appetite, and tired easily.

More than the physical pain, he said, he feared being unable to work and support his wife and three children – two sons and a daughter aged between 10 and 16.

“How could they survive without me? My wife was a housewife over 40 years of age and my children were all at school,” he said.

“I could overcome the physical pain in my whole body but could not manage economically for my family.”

To ease the stress, Lo left his job at a large logistics company, where he earned about HK$50,000 (US$6,371) a month, and joined a smaller firm for roughly half the salary.

It was then that he began making changes to cope with the illness – changes that later became lifelong habits.

He adopted a healthier, more balanced diet, eating vegetables and fruit he had grown himself, including sweet potatoes, pumpkins and papayas.

He also took in a dozen abandoned and stray dogs at his place in Sham Shek Tsuen, a village on Lantau Island.

“The activities kept me very busy and I had no time to think about my illness,” he said.

Alongside embracing a healthier lifestyle and developing a love of animals, Lo returned to canoeing, a hobby he had neglected for years.

He first took up the sport after finishing secondary school in 1971, when he joined the Auxiliary Medical Service to learn first aid, ambulance work and life-saving skills.

He volunteered as a canoe lifeguard for more than eight years in areas including Repulse Bay, Shek O, Big Wave Bay and Stanley. He also served as a lifeguard trainer and canoeing instructor for new members of the service.

He later left the service after the birth of his first child to spend more time with his family.

While looking for ways to stay healthy during his recovery from liver cancer, he returned to canoeing and fell in love with the sport all over again. He bought a second-hand canoe for about HK$6,000, which remains his favourite because of its manoeuvrability.

Lo said canoeing helped him stay focused and build self-confidence while enjoying nature.

“While canoeing, I can enjoy the sea, the landscape, the sky, the waves and currents,” he said. “I can canoe fast and slow. I don’t have a route to follow. I can move freely in the water.”

Lo now paddles at sea five days a week. He also works as a canoe instructor and has taught about 100 students.

Alongside his regular workouts and lessons, Lo has taken on a new task: preparing for a solo canoeing challenge in support of the Hong Kong Cancer Fund, to raise funds and awareness for cancer patients.

For the 65km endurance challenge, he will paddle non-stop for more than eight hours across open water between Tung Chung and Ma Wan.

Lo said he came up with the challenge after witnessing friends and colleagues die from various cancers in recent years. Some were in their forties or fifties and left families behind.

“Within the past 10 years, I have had a number of my friends and past colleagues who have died from various cancers,” he said.

“They did not take any medical examinations or check-ups. They thought they were healthy. They went on drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and eating a lot of junk food.”

He added that he hoped the challenge would raise public awareness of the importance of regular health check-ups and a healthy lifestyle.

Lo said potential difficulties on the solo journey included heavy rain, strong winds and, in particular, lightning.

He planned to set off in mid-October, depending on the weather.

“My main focus right now is that I must have a healthy body and live a vibrant, fulfilling life,” he said.

“Cancer has transformed me into someone who knows how to have fun and live life with enjoyment. It has built up another whole new life for me.”