At the age of 45, Dennis Lam Shun-chiu is an icon of success stories - and one of the best-known bachelors around town. After obtaining his medical degree in 1984, he joined the Chinese University in 1990 as a lecturer in ophthalmology. He was named the Most Courteous Doctor, Prince of Wales Hospital in 1993 and 1994. In 1994, Professor Lam was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Hong Kong and in 1995, one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World. In 1998, he became chairman of Chinese University's department of ophthalmology and visual sciences. Last year, he was appointed associate dean of the faculty of medicine. But Professor Lam said he didn't measure his worth by awards or titles. 'All these titles are only the means for me to achieve something, not the ends. As a doctor, my greatest satisfaction is to care about the patients and the community.' Professor Lam has had less success in politics. He ran for the position of deputy, Hong Kong, with the National People's Congress in 2002, and for medical representative with the Legislative Council in 2000. But he lost in both elections. Now, he concentrates on blindness eradication. 'It is a blessing in disguise. If I had won in those elections, I would not have enough time to help blind people like I am doing now.' Describing himself as a '100 per cent family man', he said he was still waiting for his dream girl. 'Shared happiness is double happiness and shared sorrow is half sorrow,' he said. 'I always want to have someone to share with. But it's not something that is under my control.'
