Newsletter No. 1

CUHK Newsletter University News New Guest House Soon to Be Built The University will soon have its third guest house built at the eastern tip of the campus next to the Yali Guest House (near the University Health Centre). The new building, to be called the Chan Kwan Tung Inter-University Hall, is funded by a $4.3 million donation from the Chan Kwan Tung Charitable Fund. Mr. Chan Chak Fu, chairman of the fund, laid the foundation stone of the building at a brief ceremony on 2nd November. The new building will command a panoramic view of Ma On Shan and overlook the scenic Tolo Harbour. There will be 18 suites providing accommodation for visiting scholars, researchers, and guests of the University. Construction work is expected to be complete by the summer of 1991. Successful Implantation of Bone-Conductor Hearing Aids The Department of Surgery recently announced the successful use of an implantable bone-conductor hearing aid in patients whose deafness is caused by diseases of the middle or external ear. Dr. A. Van Hasselt started the experiment in May this year. He first implanted a finger-tip size device made of titanium alloy to the skull of the patient just behind his ear. After the wound had healed, an external device comprising a microphone, an amplifier and a transmitter made of rare earth magnet was fitted. When sound is amplified and transmitted through the external device, the Whole skull bone will receive the vibration which in turn stimulates the inner ear, thus enabling the patient to hear again. Four patients who took part in the experiment at the Prince of Wales Hospital have regained their hearing ability. The Department of Surgery called a press conference on 2nd November to announce this surgical success, which is the first of its kind in southeast Asia. Children's Cancer Fund for CUHK Formally Set Up The fund was set up on 2nd November to help child cancer patients receiving treatment at the Prince of Wales Hospital. Its is run by a team of specialist doctors from the hospital's Department of Paediatrics together with a group of parents and dedicated volunteers. Resources will be used to provide professional counselling, subsidize families that cannot afford expensive treatment expenses, improve medical facilities for cancer treatment, upgrade training for medical staff concerned, and finance research projects. The Shaw Foundation took the lead to donate a million dollars to support the organization's activities. Lady Ford, patron of the fund, visited the child cancer patients in the hospital on 2nd November with Dr. T. Y. Chau of the Hospital Services Department and Professor Charles K. Kao. Currently some 200 child cancer patients are being looked after by the Prince of Wales Hospital and the fund is appealing to the general public for greater financial support. Any one who wants to help should contact Dr. T. K. Lam (0-6362211).