{"id":574,"date":"2025-05-23T12:03:04","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T11:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theoptimistmagazine.co.uk\/?p=574"},"modified":"2025-06-05T10:32:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T09:32:23","slug":"the-colourful-fish-who-refused-to-sink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/theoptimist\/2025\/05\/23\/the-colourful-fish-who-refused-to-sink\/","title":{"rendered":"Survivor with rare muscle condition defies all odds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Wong Ching Yu, nicknamed Fish, has never walked a step. But through heartbreak, rejection and self-doubt, she found her purpose in life.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between the glass towers of busy Hong Kong, a woman wheels herself through the revolving doors of HSBC. From the outside, she looks like any other professional in the city\u2019s corporate heartbeat. But her journey to this moment has not been ordinary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wong Ching Yu, known as Fish, at 28, is a podcast host, performer, video creator, and full-time customer service agent at HSBC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI call myself a tropical fish,\u201d she says, with a grin, \u201cBright, colourful\u2026 and a little different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She spends her evenings watching K-pop stars like Kang Daniel and the AI boy band PLAVE dancing, while at weekends, she often watches films or shoots some videos. Behind the lightness in life, she had a rare neurological condition, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SMA diagnosis and Fish’s different childhood<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fish was born in Shunde, a city in mainland China. But when her grandmother noticed that she couldn\u2019t move even at one year old, she was brought to Hong Kong for a medical check-up. The diagnosis came quickly. It was SMA, a genetic disorder that affects the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, leading to progressive muscle wasting and weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SMA varies in severity, but it often impairs a person\u2019s ability to walk, eat, or even breathe independently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fish\u2019s case is considered milder in the spectrum. She can move her limbs, but they lack strength. She has never walked after a big surgery. Still, she speaks of her childhood condition calmly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI never felt a big comparison,\u201d she says. \u201cBecause I\u2019ve never been able-bodied, this is just how I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing up, Fish was shy and \u201cvery introverted,\u201d she recalls. That changed when she met a classmate in school who would become her first real friend. \u201cHe was brilliant,\u201d she says. \u201cI looked up to him so much and wanted to be friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They bonded over emails after class, sharing thoughts and laughter through the screen. But one day, her messages stopped receiving replies. The silence stretched beyond the New Year holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI still remember how I felt,\u201d she says, voice quiet. \u201cEven now, when I think about it, I want to cry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her friend had passed away unexpectedly. The grief was heavy, and the questions haunted her. \u201cWhy would someone so intelligent, so full of potential, leave this world before me?\u201d she asked. \u201cBut in a way\u2026 I was also happy for him. Because I know how much SMA can make you suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That early confrontation with mortality gave her a deeper appreciation for the life she had, imperfect but entirely her own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read a story about an OCD survivor becoming an influencer<\/a> and helping others with her content. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In moments of uncertainty<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After finishing secondary school, Fish enrolled in a publishing and design course at a post-secondary college. But the academic track didn\u2019t suit her. \u201cI realised I didn\u2019t like studying,\u201d she says. \u201cIn a knowledge-based economy like Hong Kong, I just didn\u2019t see a place for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many people living with disabilities in Hong Kong, this uncertainty is widespread. According to the Hong Kong government\u2019s 2020 figures<\/a>, only 19.7% of people with disabilities aged 15 and above were employed, compared to an overall labour force participation rate of 59.6%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fish eventually dropped out of university and entered a difficult nine-month job-hunting period. \u201cI got a few job offers,\u201d she says. \u201cBut when I asked about accessible facilities, they always had excuses such as \u2018our office is too small,\u2019 or \u2018it wouldn\u2019t be convenient.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Fish refused to stay there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She joined the Hong Kong PHAB Association<\/a>, a group that fosters inclusion between people with and without disabilities. There, she found community and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI made friends. I tried being a radio DJ. I helped organise a camping trip,\u201d she says, eyes lighting up. \u201cFor the first time, I felt successful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A tutor at the programme later recommended her for a job in customer service at a property company. Though worried about her ability to manage the workload, she took the leap. \u201cI was scared,\u201d she says. \u201cBut I made it. I worked there for two years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She then joined Hong Kong\u2019s Electrical and Mechanical Services Department for four years before landing her current role at HSBC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fish talks about her workplace today. \u201cIt\u2019s improving in Hong Kong. I see more people with disabilities working. More facilities are accessible. But most importantly, I think our minds are opening up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to keep trying new things.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fish now hosts a podcast, shares her life updates through video content on <\/strong>WeTV and regularly performs in drama productions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WeTV <\/a>is a YouTube channel that features stories by and for people with disabilities. Fish appears in lifestyle and interview videos, using the platform to raise awareness and share her journey with humour and heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI always tell people that you have to keep trying new things. You need the courage to step out of your comfort zone,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like to think I\u2019m a colourful fish, one that doesn\u2019t just float but swims with purpose,\u201d she says with a grin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music is another form of entertainment and inspiration. From B1A4 to Kang Daniel, her playlists are full of bright energy, just like her. \u201cI love their passion and creativity,\u201d she says. \u201cIt reminds me to keep doing what I love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fish knows that life has never been easy. Even though she has experienced times of loss, rejection, and doubt, she knows that change is possible, and often, it begins with a single step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all get lost sometimes,\u201d she says. \u201cBut we can always start again from the basics. If you dare to step out, you will be changed. If you don\u2019t change yourself, everything stays the same.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a city known for speed and efficiency, Fish stands out. Even though she could not walk, her growth mindset, creativity, and kindness made her stand out. She is more than a tropical fish. She is a reminder that even in deep waters, it is possible to swim toward light.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Wong Ching Yu, known as Fish, has never walked, but she\u2019s moved mountains in her own way. From heartbreak to healing, this Hong Kong-based podcast host and HSBC employee has transformed adversity into joy. Through creativity, courage, and community, Fish is redefining what it means to thrive with a disability\u2014proving that even in deep waters, we can swim toward light.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":148,"featured_media":578,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[28,228,93,229,232,95,62,230,231,94],"class_list":["post-574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-offbeat","tag-community","tag-diversity","tag-fish","tag-hong-kong","tag-inclusivity","tag-muscle-condition","tag-optimism","tag-sma","tag-spinal-muscular-atrophy","tag-wong-ching-yu"],"yoast_head":"\nSurvivor with rare muscle condition defies all odds - The Optimist<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Meet Wong Ching Yu, known as Fish, a Hong Kong content creator and HSBC employee who overcomes SMA with creativity and joy.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/theoptimist\/2025\/05\/23\/the-colourful-fish-who-refused-to-sink\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Survivor with rare muscle condition defies all odds - 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