Lily Kong (Pang Chui Ling) was a beloved daughter, mother and grandmother who centred her life around her family, including three sons and six grandchildren. Lily immigrated from Hong Kong to Vancouver in 1967 where she quickly embraced life in Canada. She was recognized amongst her family for her culinary skills in Chinese cuisine and love for travelling.

In 1997, Lily was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis – an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness due to a defect in the transmission of nerve impulses sent to muscles. Lily was under the care of Drs. Gillian Gibson, Kristin Jack and Joel Oger. Sadly, Lily passed away just shy of her 90th birthday.

To honour Lily’s memory, the Kong family provided a generous donation of $400,000 to establish the Lily Kong Legacy Fund. This endowment fund will help support education, clinical care and research into Myasthenia Gravis with the aim of improving outcomes for patients and their families who live with the disease.

“Our family is touched and inspired by the support and care from all the staff at VGH. This endowment is in recognition and celebration of our mother’s wishes to thank her medical team, and to bring awareness and help those who are impacted by Myasthenia Gravis.” Eric Kong