Miss-Delectable
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Goodbye, champ
The local deaf community has lost a champion with the passing of Yip Kok Choong.
THE deaf community in Malaysia lost a dear friend recently. He was Yip Kok Choong, 62,
Last week, I received an e-mail from his wife Lucy Lim-Yip, who is also my good friend. A sign language interpreter and worker with the deaf for over 20 years, Lucy shared with me this moving story.
“On Oct 31, I not only lost a loving husband, but also an advocator and friend of the deaf,” Lucy wrote in her e-mail.
“Yip’s first encounter with the deaf was as a teacher in primary school,” Lucy explained.
He noticed that one of the classes was equipped with large headphones which were used to teach hearing impaired children to learn to speak. He knew that such a system was ineffective as it did little to improve their cognitive skills.
“My husband worked hard for the deaf to be accepted as persons with the same abilities as those in the hearing world,” said Lucy.
Yip’s dream became a reality when he left the teaching profession in 1983 to join the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Kuala Lumpur as its general secretary. He saw his appointment as a divine calling. His mission was to help develop an integrated deaf work programme in Malaysia through the YMCA.
“Although a deaf club had been in existence in YMCA for over a decade, it wasn’t until Yip’s initiative that an official department called Pusat Majudiri Y came into being,” Lucy pointed out.
This helped to improve the quality of lives of the deaf at the YMCA. Yip was instrumental in roping in experts from the YMCA Deaf Department in Canada to provide training and resources in KL. He was also the first to employ the deaf in the KL YMCA.
Yip’s work as general secretary of the Asia Pacific Alliance of the YMCAs took him to Hong Kong eight years ago.
He knew how to bring out the best in people. He never said no to those in need. One of Yip’s greatest strengths was his sense of humour.
Yip was diagnosed late last year with Motor Neurone Disease, a progressive neuro-degenerative condition that destroys the motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity such as speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body.
“Describing his condition as a temporary inconvenience, he carried on with his duties,” Lucy said.
Soon after, Yip lost the ability to use his right hand. He used his left hand to type and send out e-mails and letters. Then he lost his ability to speak and swallow.
“Yip’s rapid deterioration forced us to start communicating in sign language,” Lucy explained.
He remained resolute to the end.
To his staff and business associates, Yip was the “signing” general secretary; to the local Deaf community, he was an untiring worker and pioneer of their cause.
The local deaf community has lost a champion with the passing of Yip Kok Choong.
THE deaf community in Malaysia lost a dear friend recently. He was Yip Kok Choong, 62,
Last week, I received an e-mail from his wife Lucy Lim-Yip, who is also my good friend. A sign language interpreter and worker with the deaf for over 20 years, Lucy shared with me this moving story.
“On Oct 31, I not only lost a loving husband, but also an advocator and friend of the deaf,” Lucy wrote in her e-mail.
“Yip’s first encounter with the deaf was as a teacher in primary school,” Lucy explained.
He noticed that one of the classes was equipped with large headphones which were used to teach hearing impaired children to learn to speak. He knew that such a system was ineffective as it did little to improve their cognitive skills.
“My husband worked hard for the deaf to be accepted as persons with the same abilities as those in the hearing world,” said Lucy.
Yip’s dream became a reality when he left the teaching profession in 1983 to join the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Kuala Lumpur as its general secretary. He saw his appointment as a divine calling. His mission was to help develop an integrated deaf work programme in Malaysia through the YMCA.
“Although a deaf club had been in existence in YMCA for over a decade, it wasn’t until Yip’s initiative that an official department called Pusat Majudiri Y came into being,” Lucy pointed out.
This helped to improve the quality of lives of the deaf at the YMCA. Yip was instrumental in roping in experts from the YMCA Deaf Department in Canada to provide training and resources in KL. He was also the first to employ the deaf in the KL YMCA.
Yip’s work as general secretary of the Asia Pacific Alliance of the YMCAs took him to Hong Kong eight years ago.
He knew how to bring out the best in people. He never said no to those in need. One of Yip’s greatest strengths was his sense of humour.
Yip was diagnosed late last year with Motor Neurone Disease, a progressive neuro-degenerative condition that destroys the motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity such as speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body.
“Describing his condition as a temporary inconvenience, he carried on with his duties,” Lucy said.
Soon after, Yip lost the ability to use his right hand. He used his left hand to type and send out e-mails and letters. Then he lost his ability to speak and swallow.
“Yip’s rapid deterioration forced us to start communicating in sign language,” Lucy explained.
He remained resolute to the end.
To his staff and business associates, Yip was the “signing” general secretary; to the local Deaf community, he was an untiring worker and pioneer of their cause.