PolyU “We Care We Share – Community Tele-Rehabilitation Programme in Mainland China” receives funding from the Keswick Foundation, expanding its service network nationwide

The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) launched the “We Care We Share” team in 2014 to provide rehabilitation services to residents affected by the 813 earthquake in Ludian, Yunnan, China. With this year marking the 10th anniversary since the establishment of the team, PolyU has received a donation of HK$6.1 million from the Keswick Foundation to implement the “We Care We Share – Community Tele-Rehabilitation Programme in Mainland China” (the Programme), which seeks to replicate the successful experience in Yunnan across north-western and north-eastern China, thereby expanding its community rehabilitation service network nationwide. The expanded programme aims to provide rehabilitation service training for 5,000 local students and professional medical personnel, benefiting 500 families over the next three years.

Dr David LAM, Legislative Council member (Medical and Health Services); Prof. Miranda LOU, PolyU Executive Vice President; Mrs Clara WEATHERALL, Chairman of the Keswick Foundation Board of Governors; Prof. Angelina YUEN-TSANG, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Keswick Foundation; Dr Laura LO, PolyU Associate Vice President (Institutional Advancement); Prof. David SHUM, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences; Prof. Marco PANG, Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences; Prof. YAO Liqing, Vice Chairman of the Yunnan Disabled Persons’ Federation and Associate Dean of the School of Rehabilitation at Kunming Medical University; Prof. MA Ting, Dean of the Rehabilitation School at Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; Ms DUAN Chen-yuan, a recipient of the Programme; and Ms Atta YU, a student member of the “We Care We Share” team, jointly officiated at the launching ceremony.

Dr David Lam said, “Rehabilitation is an essential extension of medical care. Based in Hong Kong, the PolyU ‘We Care We Share’ community rehabilitation service network supports rehabilitation services and personnel training in Yunnan, which has further developed into a nationwide professional service and training system. With breakthroughs in rehabilitation brought by technological applications of artificial intelligence and robotics, I believe PolyU can contribute to the Nation by leveraging its strength in this discipline.”

Prof. Miranda Lou remarked, “The We Care We Share Community Rehabilitation Programme has been running for over a decade, with the PolyU Department of Rehabilitation Sciences providing rehabilitation services and therapist training to the local and neighbouring communities in Yunnan. Through professional knowledge, skills, therapeutic services and care, the Programme has not only transformed the recipients’ lives, but also brought hope to their families and communities. Today’s launching ceremony marks a new milestone for the Programme. We would like to once again express our gratitude to our charity partner, the Keswick Foundation, for their continued support, which enables us to keep moving forward and contribute more to the society.”

Mrs Clara Weatherall said, “It gives me great pleasure to join you in celebrating the further expansion of this remarkable programme. What makes ‘We Care, We Share’ particularly special is how it combines expert professional care with practical, innovative community solutions. Together, we are empowering local professionals, communities, and families to build sustainable, lasting change.”

The Programme has gained extensive experience in community rehabilitation over the years. With the support of the Keswick Foundation and leveraging technology to achieve tele-rehabilitation and interregional and interdisciplinary collaboration, the expanded programme will build a community-based rehabilitation service network nationwide. Through a three-dimensional model of “technology empowerment, community linkage and talent cultivation”, the Programme will leverage innovative rehabilitation medical technologies to provide support to more groups in need, while also raising societal awareness of the development of the rehabilitation profession.

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