An Air-Conditioner

Hope I can get rid of the hot weather

Many Hong Kong people dislike the hot and humid weather in summer time. The sweaty feeling is totally not enjoyable. Many people like staying at home or other indoor areas with air conditioning. But not everyone can enjoy the cool air; Ka Ming is one of them.

Ka Ming is a 5-year-old boy who is recovering from kidney cancer. He has just had his surgery, in which one part of the kidney was removed. The hot, humid weather makes him feel very itchy and the scar on his waist has a burning sensation. Without an air-conditioner, he cannot sleep well with these uncomfortable feelings. Because of this, he sometimes throws tantrums at his mum. Currently, Ka Ming’s mum is not working and staying home to look after Ka Ming. The family relies on the financial support from the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance scheme. She cannot afford to buy an air-conditioner for Ka Ming. Before surgery, she always brought Ka Ming to swim in the summer. However now, she only can use an electric fan to make Ka Ming feel better under the hot sun. Ka Ming also understands his mum’s financial situation, though he is just a small child. He can withstand the hot weather, but not the itchy and burning sensation on his scar. When volunteers Helen and Betty of Make-A-Wish® Hong Kong (MAWHK) visited Ka Ming, he told them directly that he only wanted an air-conditioner at home.

Helen has been volunteering at MAWHK since 1997 while Betty has known Helen for long time and they always visit Wish Children together. After the visit to La Ming, Helen wrote a report to MAWHK as usual. But this time, she decided to do something unusual. She decided to buy Ka Ming an air-conditioner from her own savings! She even paid a technician to help fix the air-conditioner. She wished Ka Ming could get rid of the itchy feeling sooner. Helen said, ‘Though I am only a volunteer, I always want to offer as much help as I can, whenever I am able to’.

Ka Ming and his mum have already set up a rule on the use of air-conditioner based on their mutual respect and care. The air-conditioner is on when the weather is so hot that Ka Ming only wears his singlet. Ka Ming’s mum wants to thank MAWHK and Helen for the help. She also would like to thank her family for their support. She hopes Ka Ming can recover soon and have a fruitful life in the future. In addition, Ka Ming would like to thank his mum, teachers, doctors and nurses for their lovely care.

He feels much better with the air conditioning. When asked about his future, he wants to become a bus driver when he grows up. There is a bus depot in front of his house, and he always travels on the bus. He thinks that driving would be fun as it can bring him anywhere he likes. This may be the reason why he loves car racing video game so much!

Helen met Ka Ming after an activity of Make-A-Wish® Hong Kong, she asked the little boy about his current status.