Honorary University Fellows
Excerpt from the Vice-Chancellor's Address delivered at the Honorary University Fellowships Presentation Ceremony on December 2, 1999:
Our University joins the rest of the community in mourning the loss of our next awardee, Dr Douglas Laing, to whom we award an Honorary Fellowship posthumously. Dr Laing passed away at the age of 97 after a life of dedicated service to the community both as a medical practitioner and as a philanthropist.
Dr Laing's association with our University dates from 1920 when he enrolled as an MBBS student. After graduation he proceeded to further studies in otorhinolaryngology in the United kingdom after working for a few years for first the University and then the Hong Kong Government. In 1934 he returned to private practice in Hong Kong, becoming the first ENT surgeon here. His work in Hong Kong was interrupted by the Second World War during part of which Dr Laing served in the Royal Army Medical Corp in India. He returned to private practice in Hong Kong in 1948, and retired almost a half-century later in 1996, when he was over 90. He won great distinction as a medical practitioner, writing learned papers on his specialty, and contributing greatly to the development of the medical profession in Hong Kong.
In addition to being an outstanding medical practitioner Dr Laing was an outstanding philanthropist. Though it is not generally known, he generously provided medical work free for those who could not afford to pay for it. In addition he gave unstintingly of his time and expertise to the service of the community. He served as honorary consultant for the Governments of both Hong Kong and Macau and for the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, Nethersole Hospital and Nam Long Hospital. For twenty-eight years he was President of the Welfare League, and one of its major contributors. The Welfare League, founded in 1930, was a charity to promote the welfare of the poor. He also served as an Executive Committee Member of the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society for 15 years.
He still found time to indulge his lifelong passion- horse racing. Hong Kong Jockey Club records show that he owned his first race horse in 1927. He served as a Steward of the Jockey Club for twenty-four years, and, on his retirement in 1984, he was made an Honorary Steward. Dr Laing no doubt drew satisfaction from the many charitable contributions by the Club to the people of Hong Kong.
Last but no least- I must pay tribute to Dr Laing for his many contributions to our University. He served as an honorary clinical lecturer in otorhinolaryngology for over eighteen years. In 1959, with his first donation to the University, he established the Digby Memorial Fund to provide scholarships and gold medals to outstanding medical students. He was a founding senior member of the HKU Foundation for Educational Development and Research; he pledged to donate a further $1,000,000 to the Foundation. He donated $1,500,000 towards the building of the new Medical Complex at Sassoon Road. And that, in spite of his advanced years, he attended the Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony is a measure of his interest and commitment.
Douglas Laing will be sorely missed by our University and the community as a whole.
His daughter, Mrs Evelyn Fergusson, will receive the honorary Fellowship certificate on his behalf.