Cover News Reporter Du Jiangqian Yin Hang Photography Li Qiang
"I want to go around the island." When Mr. Tan Pauline heard Mr. Tan talk to him for the first time, he was a little unresponsive. The next first reaction was to object, "I am 61 years old, I have to run more than 20 kilometers a day for more than a month, and I am still in Taiwan where I am unfamiliar with my place. What should I do if something happens?"
Mrs. Tan hopes that this is her husband's whim, but here, Tan Zhiqiang has begun to collect information, understand Taiwan's geographical environment, transportation and accommodation, look for charities, etc. In the next year, he started from scratch and approached the target bit by bit.
For Tan Zhiqiang, this long run is not a whim for a long-distance running enthusiast. More importantly, as a volunteer, he can think of the best way to help cancer patients. So, in 2015, he spent 40 days to complete the Taiwan Island-round journey, and the entire journey lasted nearly 1,000 kilometers. He raised 260,000 Hong Kong dollars for cancer patients.
"I have never thought of a way to raise funds. In order to increase the difficulty, I finally thought of raising funds by running a marathon, hoping to raise more money." When talking about this journey, Tan Zhiqiang seemed to be yesterday. On the end of October, he wore simple short-sleeved classes for the elderly at the Ma'anshan Elderly Regional Center in Hong Kong, which is one of the things he must do every week in the past year.
In addition, this idle volunteer is currently preparing for the November Circle of Hong Kong. This event, which is participated by volunteers from both sides of the Taiwan Strait and four regions, raises funds for cancer patients in the form of a Circle of Hong Kong. This is the second time this year. Last year, more than 120 people, a total of 7 days of long-distance running, raised 300,000 Hong Kong dollars in donations, and more than half of the participants were cancer patients.
"I admire Ah Tan's perseverance and steel-like will." Hong Kong Social Welfare Director Ye Wenjuan lamented that in addition to successfully assisting cancer patients with fundraising, the more valuable thing is to convey positive energy in society and encourage people of different ages and classes to care for and help people around you in daily life. "This spirit of caring and mutual assistance is the driving force for social progress."
The best After
From volunteer to professional social worker
Witnessing the professional development of welfare services in Hong Kong
Tan Zhiqiang is very thin. He is already 64 years old and gray-haired. Every time he changes into sports shorts, he will reveal his strong and powerful calves. It is the effect after long-term exercise. At the age of 55, he completed his first marathon in his life and fell in love with long-term running.
can combine hobbies and volunteers, which is the most ideal state that Tan Zhiqiang can think of.
Tan Zhiqiang loves Hong Kong, the city where he grew up has the most beautiful coastline and the bright sunshine throughout the year. In that era of rapid economic development, when he was young, he felt the beauty of helping others through his repeated volunteer experiences and regarded this as his ideal. After graduating from university social work, Tan Zhiqiang worked at the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department for 37 years as a professional social worker.
"That was a job that really made me realize my ideal." Tan Zhiqiang has always been very grateful that the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department has been committed to providing appropriate welfare services to those in need in society. Over the past half century, Hong Kong's welfare obedience has been focusing on helping urgently and supporting the dangers in the early days, and has developed into diversified professional services.
There, Tan Zhiqiang has worked in teenagers, family services, psychiatric rehabilitation services and domestic violence prevention, and has worked as a hospital social worker. He witnessed how Hong Kong people transformed the culture of mutual assistance between the city into volunteer services and penetrated into every corner of the city.
In fact, because of the experience of volunteering, the seeds of helping others and doing good in their hearts, they eventually became professional social workers. This was almost the common choice of many young people in Hong Kong in the 1970s.
Hong Kong Caritas Youth and Community Service General Director Li Yongkai worked on the front line of volunteer services for nearly 40 years. Most of his life's persistence stems from the help he received from volunteers in middle school. The child who was cared for because he was unwilling to go home after school. Finally, he became a volunteer himself and wrote letters to the people who were struggling and ignorant of their words. Later, when he had excellent grades, he gave up his popular finance major and chose to enter the Department of Social Work of the Chinese University of Hong Kong when filling out his university application.
"It turns out that I'm very happy to be a volunteer." Nowadays, Li Yongkai and Tan Zhiqiang can still remember the slogans that were everywhere on the streets of Hong Kong decades ago. They still remember the huge touch they were in their hearts when they were helped. "At a teenager, I have too much curiosity and confusion about the world. At this time, the experience of volunteers seemed to open a window. I found that because of my little efforts, the city I am in has become a little better."
The craziest thing
After retirement, I worked as a volunteer to raise funds and help others
61 years old 1,000 kilometers running
In November 2014, Tan Zhiqiang retired from the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department. This professional social worker who has worked for 37 years, faces his time-consuming post-retirement era, he wants to help others and give back to the society through lifelong learning.
"Helping others is the foundation of happiness, I always remember this statement." From a social worker to a volunteer, Tan Zhiqiang believes that the essence of these two is the same. On the other hand, he feels that he has more choices and autonomy.
"Working volunteers in Hong Kong, you can find various types and forms, and choose what you are interested in." According to the data provided by the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department, among the 3,247 registered social welfare institutions, from street donations to regular education, elderly care, environmental protection, and other sports activities full of charitable elements such as marathons, covering almost all groups in need. "If you are really not interested, you can organize a team to complete it yourself, and various institutions will provide help."
I feel that I worked as a medical social worker in the oncology department of the hospital, Tan Zhiqiang wants to help those cancer patients. In the past, he has seen families crushed by huge expenses, and even patients who were joking with him the day before. The condition worsened the next day and never woke up again. "For cancer patients and their families, they need support from their hearts to their finances."
is ready to unfold little by little. The individual's strength may be small, but Tan Zhiqiang is very serious. When determining the beneficiary institutions, this former professional social worker has his own considerations. Many welfare institutions in Hong Kong, well-known large institutions, can obtain more resources and government help, while many small private welfare institutions or fund programs are equally pragmatic in helping weak groups. He wants to raise funds for such institutions and finally determine to raise funds for the "Zhang Xie Baoying Breast Cancer Funding Program" charity foundation.
What impressed Tan Zhiqiang was the story behind this foundation. Zhang Daming The wife of lawyer Ms. Xie Baoying died of breast cancer. She understood the difficulties faced by breast cancer patients. Before her death, she and her husband established the "Zhang Xie Baoying Breast Cancer Funding Program" charity foundation, "to give care and support to poor breast cancer patients. All donations are donated to the patients to help them through the arduous treatment process, maintain their lives and respect."
In this way, the combination of running, Taiwan and charity, the combination of three elements has the "craziest thing" in Mrs. Tan's eyes.
The whole journey was 40 days. On February 23, 2015, Tan Zhiqiang set out from Taipei along the east coast, and through 12 cities including Yilan , Hualien, Taitung , Pingtung, Kaohsiung , Tainan, etc., and finally returned to Taipei. After experiencing loneliness, illness, danger and difficulties, he finally completed a 930-kilometer journey and raised more than HK$270,000 in charity funds for the "Zhang Xie Baoying Breast Cancer Funding Program" charity fund of the Hong Kong Cancer Prevention Association.
Because of this run, some people call Tan Zhiqiang Hong Kong "Forrest Gump". Like the male protagonist in that classic movie, he has the spirit of moving forward and the clearest attitude towards life. "Actually, I was very relaxed when I was running. When I really couldn't hold on, I thought about the path I had taken to come here, so I slowly persevered."
The days when I continue running
More and more cancer patients join
Let more people pay attention to this group
" If you can't object, then just support it. "Tan Tai was deeply touched. This thing that was not possible in her eyes at first. With the completion and extension, more and more people participated in it, and kindness was infecting each other.
Among them, a friend Albert drove for 40 days to support Tan Zhiqiang throughout the journey. In order to save money, the two lived in cheap homestays all the way; when they passed by Suhua Highway, which is called the "Death Highway", facing the winding and straits, Taiwanese Peter and Sophie accompanied them all the way; in addition, there were friends who flew to Taiwan to support, cheer up and run with them in the middle, which made the running along the way no longer lonely.
"In the charity run, we also met many Taiwanese friends. At first we didn't know each other, but it was really because of the enthusiasm to help others. "Tan Zhiqiang remembered that after learning that they were charity runs, the owner of the B&B changed their room to the most comfortable one for free, and there were strangers who brought raincoats all the way and provided a bowl of hot tofu.
On the coldest day of the year in Taiwan, in the low temperature of nearly zero degrees Celsius, Tan Zhiqiang ran from the Nanyao Palace Pilgrim Building in Changhua City Nanyao Palace Pilgrim Building to Taichung. Because the route is complicated, Taiwanese Wang Jiaxin chose to run with him. "He doesn't run often. It's really hard to do such a cold weather. When he was on the bridge, he panted and picked up the hat blown off by the wind. Looking at his back, I was really touched at that moment, and I don't know how to thank him. "
After finishing this round trip around Taiwan, Tan Zhiqiang, who returned to Hong Kong, took a break for nearly 3 months. He felt like the fatigue of overdrawing of his body after the goal was completed, and since then, he paid more attention to exercising and cherishing his legs. "I feel that running a marathon is running once and once, so I rarely participate now. I cherish every share and want to leave it all for charity runs. "
At the end of 2017, the Charity Ring Road was held in Hong Kong. This time, more than 120 people, a total of 7 days of long-distance running, raised 300,000 Hong Kong dollars in donations, and more than half of the participants were cancer patients.
Tan Zhiqiang remembers everyone who participated, among which Peter, who rushed from Taiwan to Hong Kong, was once a cancer patient; and Ah Zhi, who was injured on the way, still had to persist, but was eventually persuaded by Tan Zhiqiang and other volunteers; "There is also a patient, who is also from Taiwan, who has been frugal all his life, and he is only a birthday, and he always jogs slowly. "Tan Zhiqiang paused and his eyes turned red, "Later he ran to the finish line and told us that this day was his birthday, and this was the most meaningful birthday gift in his life. "
At present, this year's charity surrounds and ports will also be held. Tan Zhiqiang is busy taking care of big and small matters, and his work is fulfilled. He is very happy. More and more cancer patients join. In addition to letting more people pay attention to this group, people with personal experience can stand up from the illness and infect more people.
"Life will not stop, so you must keep running. "Standing on the coast, Tan Zhiqiang was simple and he was also looking forward to one day holding a charity run in any city in mainland China. "There will be such a day. After all, in Hong Kong, everything is possible. ”
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