The
Society for the Relief
of Disabled Children
(SRDC) was established
in 1953 with the mission
to provide medical,
surgical, rehabilitation
and educational services
to disabled children
in Hong Kong. The
Society, using funds
generated by the generosity
of the community,
established a convalescent
home in Sandy Bay
in 1955 for sick 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 (DKCH)
in 1968 and was in
the front line fighting
against tuberculosis,
poliomyelitis and
spinal deformities.
The Hospital became
internationally recognized
for this work and
since then, has remained
to be a training center
for surgeons and health
workers 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 digressed
into other areas of
medical social concerns
that fulfill the mission
of the Society.
Currently,
the Society is supporting
the following programmes:
-
providing disabled
children with
medical care
in a loving
environment
in DKCH at Sandy
Bay
-
offering
specialist medical,
orthopaedic
and rehabilitation
services
-
supporting
clinical research
in facilities
built by the
Society in DKCH
-
allowing
ventilation
dependent children
to lead better
lives and to
have normal
schooling at
JF Kennedy Centre
at Sandy Bay
