Steven Lo, Bangkok
Finally, someone thought operation was the answer and Dr. Ching’s name came up. My parents were told that he is the TOP eye specialist in Hong Kong so we should consult him and let him do the operation. But he may be very expensive, so we may not be able to afford it. Still my parents decided that for my future’s sake, they were willing to make the sacrifice. Dr. Ching gave me a quick examination, followed by a gentle slap on my face and said (it still rings in my ear) “it’s just a bad habit!” That was it.
No need for any more treatment of any sort. Sure enough, within a short time, my “bad habit” disappeared. I don’t know if he even charged my parents. But I am always grateful to Dr. Ching for sparing me further miseries. Years later, when Matthew my son developed the same “bad habit” around the same age when I had mine, I remembered Dr. Ching’s diagnosis, and just allowed Matthew to “grow out” of it.
***** ***** *****
Milton Wee, Singapore
I remember Kong Kong (Dr Ching) on more than one occasion. They include his special magic tricks at the bungalow on Sentosa with the banana and his really nice heavy saxophone which he let me play when we visited him in Hongkong.
***** ***** *****
Telly Chow, Hongkong
Thanks for the very good and interesting stories of uncle Renald (Dr Ching). I still remember my husband Eugene took me to visit him and auntie Louise in 1982 when we visited Hong Kong. I had a mole near the bottom of my face and it was getting irritating. After looking at it Uncle Renald took an electric burner (electrocautery machine) and burned it. Guess what? It never grew back and there was no scar. He is so incredible, not only he’s a great ophthalmologist, he could also be a great dermatologist as well!
***** ***** *****
Sansan Ching, Hongkong
We had a great daddy! I remember his office in Queen’s Road — dark and very cold. Then he moved to Kennedy Terrace where he made into an office/residence. An idiosyncratic home. All the people lying there with needles stuck in and around their eyes. We had a very talented father and didn’t realise it.
He was a champion pole vaulter, violinist, sax and clarinettist — all self-taught. Most of all an innovative eye doctor. Unbeatable that we had that family orchestra for so many years in Cumberland Road and Kennedy Road. I still hear the music of Falling Leaves as I listened in bed — conducted by Arrigo Foa who was the conductor of the Hongkong Philharmonic Orchestra who was paid to conduct our family orchestra!
The young people were happy and grateful they had this activity every Saturday evening with dinner served in the garden. Elim Pong remembered those days – she was the faithful pianist who later became headmistress of Diocesan Girls School. Wonderful memories – we had a great childhood! We had unique parents indeed!
***** ***** *****
Adoree Weibel-Ching, Switzerland
Today 9 Sept. is Dad’s birthday. I can hear the music coming from his room in 126 Kennedy Rd., smell the medicine in the cabinet with the glass doors and his many records….he must be playing his saxophone with Ma on the piano in Heaven. Maybe she even found a duet partner.
***** ***** *****
Jenny Mumenthaler-Ching, Switzerland
Good memories. I must admit I am hearing classical radio right now while smelly cheese pies are all over the flat as I am making last minute prep for a church benefit concert this evening with refreshments. Happy birthday dear Pa and thanks Adoree for reminding us. We had great parents.
***** ***** *****
R.I.P
Renald Ching’s Obituary from British Medical Journal (BMJ)
( BMJ: British Medical Journal, vol. 311, no. 7008, 1995, pp. 804–804. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/29728820.))
Renald Ching, ophthalmologist, Hong Kong 1941-94 (b New York 1906; q Chicago 1934), died on 15 June 1995.
Coming from a scholarly family in Canton, but spending much of the early life in the USA in 1937 he was on his way to take up a chair in Canton when he heard of the city’s fall to the Japanese.
Electing to stay in Hong Kong, he remained there in various hospital and private posts for over 55 years, being the first to introduce contact lenses into the colony and
using acupuncture in ophthalmic surgery. Once every year, sponsored by Lions International, he did cataract surgery free of charge on elderly impoverished women. He leaves a wife, Louise, and five children, 12 grandchildren and one great grandson.
I am Dr George Cheng Pak-Man, an ophthalmologist from Hong Kong.
This year is the 65th Anniversary of Hong Kong Ophthalmological Society. (http://www.hkos.org.hk) We are planning for an exhibition about the history of Hong Kong Ophthalmology. I am the coordinator of this exhibition.
As you know, Dr Renald Ching is one of the most important grandfathers of Ophthalmology in Hong Kong. Dr Ching is also one the past president of Hong Kong Ophthalmological Society.
Image: http://www.hkos.org.hk/upload/PastPresident/ChingPakKing_s.jpg
We are searching for more detail’s information of Dr Ching. And we come across the very good and interesting stories of uncle Renald (Dr Ching) in your website.* We would like to ask for your help. Could you please help us to find more information / photos of Dr Ching? We would like to show more information about Dr Ching in our exhibition. We sincerely hope that the above can meet your favorable consideration. Thanks a lot.
Best Regards,
George Cheng
Dear Dr Cheng, I am Goldie Chong, Dr Renald Ching’s daughter who lives in Perth, Australia. I am delighted to help with your request for information about my father. I will send you what you want. Thanks for the privilege of honouring my father.