Nellie Fong had long been a fundraising firecracker, but she never guessed that in 1996 a small donation would become
her life.

To celebrate handover, China’s provinces were offering unique spectacular gifts to Hong Kong. Nellie Fong, assisting the government on the preparatory committee, was searching for something to reciprocate. Rather than a display item, she settled for something “more useful,” and, borrowing an idea from an Indian charity, set about launching the Lifeline Express.

Working with sponsors and the Ministry of Public Health, she launched a four-carriage train fitted out as a hospital to tackle one of remote China’s most prevalent problems: cataracts.

An estimated 4 million people in the back blocks of China suffer cataracts, the clouding of the eye lens that leads to blindness. Caught early enough, cataracts are easily fixed in one short operation. But far-flung villagers usually don’t have the facilities or the money to pay for the treatment.

“I really had an innocent belief that we would just give a gift,” says Nellie of the project that now sees her spending 50 percent of her time trekking outback China.

In 1997, one Lifeline Express treated 3,000 sufferers per year. Now, surgeries number 10,000 from three trains. But, says Nellie, it still isn’t enough.

“Cataracts for the rest of the world is an old people’s disease,” she explains, but high altitude, harsh conditions and poor lifestyle contribute to children through to young adults developing the ailment. “It is a very simple operation, it doesn’t need much aftercare, and it would change a person, and his whole family’s situation. For them it is like a gift from heaven.”

Because many villages are almost impossible to reach, hospitals have to advertise six months before a train’s arrival and pre-screen potential patients. Of 2,000 almost half are turned away. Many sight problems are not cataracts and, sadly, in children born with the condition, it is often too late. But, says Nellie, if children can be treated “it’s the adults who cry most” – in gratitude. Blindness means little chance of a working future, and a heavy burden for the family.

Nellie’s next step is to build training centres to teach local doctors how to perform the operation. Three buildings are underway, and another five scheduled before 2008. With long distance training courses and internationally-recognised eye exams, Lifeline Express is set to grow fast.

It all costs money and much of Nellie’s time is spent fundraising, averaging one event per month: always aiming to raise $1 million, she often exceeds her target.

Her latest is a night out for fans of musicals. Top-notch vocalists will perform jazz, pop, rock and roll, opera and musical hits, in a magical night called Musical Moments. Nellie attended a similar programme last year and was enchanted. She approached the show organiser Stanley Shen – a friend she met almost ten years ago at Lifeline Express’ inauguration –and asked him to repeat the extravaganza. Says Stanley: “She said, ‘I want this show for Lifeline Express’.” Stanley, a firm supporter, was only too happy to help, making the show bigger and better this year. West End star Tony Vincent (We Will Rock You), will perform classic songs from Evita, as well as Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and his trademark We Will Rock You, backed by the 60-strong Hong Kong Medical Association Orchestra and powerful Songsingers choir. He will be joined by other stage greats Robert Vincencio from Miss Saigon and West Side Story’s Jovita Leung, in what promises to be a memorable evening. “I like to provide a nice evening, and it’s for charity, so why not?” says Nellie. The best seats are $2,000 – the cost of one simple, life-changing operation – so, really, why not?

PriceWaterhouseCoopers Musical Moments comes to town on October 2 for one night only at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Enquiry & Donation Hotline: 2861 0862.