Page 85 - My FlipBook
P. 85

“What If”  the year in which she took up a pair of scissors


            and was mere inches from ending her life, but


 A Talk on Perseverance, Strength  instead, she cut her hair, and watched it fall to
            the floor. She stated that it was also the first time
            she cried out to her parents, which changed her
 and Optimism in Life  life for the better since her parents began to

            understand her more.

 On  23rd  July  2022,  Kuen  Cheng  High
 School Counseling Department invited   After graduation, Dr. Hue became a medical

 Dr. Hue Hwa Ching, a 2001 Kuen Cheng   intern back in Malaysia. She even described the
 graduate and the author of “This Time,   different types of patients she met in her time as   Dr. Hue’s School Life

 Don’t Call Me Doctor” 《这时,别叫我  a healthcare worker.
 医生》, to give a talk on the importance
 of perseverance in life.  At 28 years old, Dr. Hue’s life hit rock bottom. She
 to accept her own appearance but still   found out she had a tumour, which disrupted her
 Dr. Hue started off by talking about her   had to appear on stage multiple times for   life in all possible ways. All of us face hardships
 current reflections on her life, posing   competitions and speeches. These factors   in life, but Dr. Hue reminded us to never dismiss

 questions like “What if I had children?”   caused her to constantly teeter between   and silence our pain just because other people
 and “What if I didn’t choose to study   positive and negative emotions.  seem to have it worse. When we are in pain, we
 medicine?”, and introducing the common   During her Sr3, Dr. Hue’s criticisms   can choose to escape momentarily in order to first

 saying that “life has no ‘what if’s’ so you   towards Kuen Cheng’s rigid framework
 should make the right decisions”. She   were published in newspapers, and she
 however, didn’t believe in this saying, and   herself began receiving criticism from
 shared the story of her life to prove this   the school community. Dr. Hue began   calm ourselves and face our problems courageously
 point.  refusing to go to school, causing her      later on.

 results to decline heavily, to the point that
 Dr. Hue was a classic straight-A student in   she experienced complete panic during   Running a marathon was a pivotal moment in Dr.
 primary and secondary school, and often   her SUEC exams. She ended up getting   Hue’s life. She realised her life was crumbling, and

 represented the school in participating   3B’s in SUEC, and remorsefully, it was her   the  only  way  out  was  to  run  forward.  Half  way
 in  various competitions,  however,  she   first time not receiving straight As.  through the marathon, the agony she had to endure
 struggled with self-esteem issues for much         made her question her choice to join the marathon.
 of her student life. She often felt different   Dr. Hue’s first exposure to mental illnesses   Yet  Dr.  Hue  never  stopped  running,  she  pushed
 from the other kids and felt inferior about   was when her mother was diagnosed with   through sweat and tears, ultimately completing the

 her appearance.  one. She later explained how she went   run.

 to Beijing, China for medical studies. It   Dr. Hue Running a Marathon
 In secondary school, these self-esteem   was around her second year in university   During  the  Q&A  session,  Dr.  Hue  advised  the

 issues  were  due to her  slightly  larger   when Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome   audience to exercise and picture happiness in the
 body shape compared to other girls.   (SARS) started spreading.  Jointly reported by:  future whenever one encounters anxiety. Contrary
 Academically, Dr. Hue wanted to get good   Khoo Xin Yi Sr1ScA  to the popular saying, she believes that as long as we
 results to gain acknowledgement from   In her fourth year of university, Dr. Hue   Sofea Chang Hui Zhou Sr1ComB  are living, there will always be “what if’s”. After a few
 her parents and teachers. She was unable   started to have suicidal thoughts. It was   Benedict Koo Xiang Yu Sr3B  questions, the talk came to an end. We appreciate


 84                                                 and value the advice provided by Dr Hue today.             85
   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90