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Doing the maximum good with minimal resources

Chairman of the Neuro-muscular Disease Association is grateful he is still able to fight for the rights of the severely disabled at the age of 51

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Raymond Lau considers himself one of the lucky few because his muscles have deteriorated relatively slowly, allowing him to help others. Photo: Nora Tam

At 51, Raymond Lau Wai-ming has met only five other people who've lived past 50 with his condition.

"For a person with a neuromuscular disease, I'm considered very old - just ancient," said Lau, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disorder that causes muscle deterioration and serious physical impairment.

"The fact is, our condition is not well known nor understood in society, and subsidies and help are extremely inadequate."

The fact is, our condition is not well known nor understood in society, and subsidies and help are extremely inadequate

Lau's condition was not properly diagnosed until he was 35, when he emerged from a 15-year bout of depression triggered by an accident.

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