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2025 Hong Kong Outstanding Teens

2025-07-02

True strength is not fathomed by ease of circumstance, but by the indomitable courage with which one rises in the face of adversity. Josie Tang (5E), one of our most intrepid St. Markans, has been named one of the 2025 Hong Kong Outstanding Teens, an honour that speaks not only to her resilience but also to her unremitting compassion and optimism.

From a young age, Josie has been racked with a rare condition, achondroplasia, which has required her to undergo numerous complex surgeries and endure long absences from school. She recalls one particularly harrowing moment — recovering from a bone-lengthening procedure, only to learn that a second corrective surgery was needed. In the isolation of a hospital room during the pandemic, with no family by her side, she shed silent tears and asked the sky, ‘Why me?’

And yet, Josie rose.

Thanks to the steadfast support of her teachers, who patiently tutored her during catch-up sessions and encouraged her unconditionally, Josie found not only the strength to persevere but the will to dream. She remembers, with special warmth, a school training camp during Form 3, despite her smaller stature and fears of slowing the team, her teacher urged her to take part in the group running challenge, in which she felt seen, valued, and empowered.

Her experiences have shaped not bitterness, but purpose. Josie aspires to become a teacher herself, one who lifts students through trials, affirms their unique worth, and helps them embrace their individuality. 'No matter how the world sees you,’ she says, ‘what matters most is accepting your own uniqueness.’

Source: 患罕見病飽歷手術　中五女生立志春風化雨鼓勵學生

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