About Us
The Society for the Relief of Disabled Children “the Society” was established in 1953, with the mission to support medical, surgical, rehabilitation and educational services to differently-abled children in Hong Kong. The Society, using funds generated by the generosity of the community, established a convalescent home in Sandy Bay in 1956 for children stricken with skeletal tuberculosis. The home initially had only 50 beds but was subsequently expanded in stages to become the Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital at Sandy Bay “the Hospital” in 1968 and was in the frontline fighting against tuberculosis, poliomyelitis and spinal deformities. The Hospital subsequently became internationally recognized for this work and remains a training center for surgeons and health workers from around the world.
The Society was responsible for the running cost of the Home and Hospital and ran the institutions on a day-to-day basis until 1991 when the Hong Kong Hospital Authority took over management of all public hospitals in Hong Kong. Despite the change in management, the Society still has a significant influence in the running of the Hospital and has continued to support the Hospital with specific needs or in emerging areas of child health that are not readily available in the public health care system. They have also expanded into other areas of medical social concerns that fulfill the mission of the Society.
Currently, the Society is continuously supporting the following: