I met Tak many years ago at scientific conferences where we shared a common interest in mechanisms of allergic inflammation, with an initial emphasis on lipid mediators. Our lives became closer when we were both appointed Professors in 1988 funded by the generosity of the Asthma UK Charity, Tak at Kings College London whereas I was at Imperial College London. Research thrived in both locations and Tak had the idea that we should get together and form a joint centre. Inevitably this initiative had teething problems with the coming together of traditionally rival institutions, but in 2005 Tak’s vision was realised and, based at Kings, he became Director of the MRC/Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, while I deputised and headed up the Imperial side. The initiative was an outstanding success, a credit to Tak’s foresight, exceptional scientific acumen and remarkable managerial skills. I last wrote to Tak in April this year. He said he missed the opportunity to travel because of the pandemic, particularly not going ahead with a planned 70th birthday celebration in Bali. He said he looked forward to returning to the Maldives, but his priority was to travel to New Zealand to see his daughter and her husband. He told me about all his activities in the allergy field in Hong Kong and his satisfaction with the successes, but that he planned to hang up his hat soon to work part time and spend more time with his two grandsons who are growing up fast. He told me how much he missed them while they were on holiday with the family for several weeks in Bangkok.

I send all Tak’s family and friends my sincere condolences on this very sad occasion,

       Tim

Timothy J Williams

PhD, FBPhS, FMedSci, FRS

Emeritus Professor

Imperial College London  

I had the great good fortune to be referred to Dr. Lee in 2015 by one of his former colleagues in Boston who is a well known expert in mast cell diseases which are both difficult to diagnose and challenging to manage. She highly recommended Dr. Lee and thought he would be able to help me. What an understatement! As doctors and other medical personnel will know, there is in medicine a category of patients who are sometimes known as zebras: patients who have rare and often complex conditions. Some of those patients  move on from the zebra category to become medical unicorns, such are the number, rarity and complexity of the conditions we have. Meeting Dr. Lee was nothing short of life changing for me. His knowledge, professionalism and expertise were matched by his kindness, compassion and understanding. He was indefatigable in his efforts to help me, often thinking well beyond the box and well beyond office hours in order to find treatments for my complex issues. And despite his own extensive knowledge, he was always prepared to reach out to his worldwide network of contacts and former colleagues to ensure that I received the very best treatment.

Over the years I was hospitalized several times at HKSH for a variety of issues. Tak, as I came to know him, was always the captain of the A+ team he assembled on my behalf to deal with matters outside allergy and immunology. (Now that I have read of his prowess in sports I better understand the humour of the description he coined for the team that he built around me.) His calm, kind, gentle, thorough and always professional presence was immediately reassuring no matter the problem. I only had the courage to undergo numerous surgeries and procedures because I knew he was in the hospital ready to handle anything that might arise due to my chronic issues and I put him to the test more than once. I repeatedly saw firsthand the great regard in which the nurses, other doctors and staff held him. To them he was not Dr. Lee, he was Professor Lee. And yet there was never a single hint or moment of arrogance about him. He possessed perhaps the greatest skill of a successful clinician: he listened to his patients and he cared deeply about the patient as a whole. Improving the quality of life of his patients was foremost in his mind at all times.

The ground breaking Allergy Centre which he established at HKSH stands as a great example of his untiring work to serve patients and he did so in part by building an exceptional team around him. As a frequent visitor, I observed on occasions too numerous to count his interactions with the Allergy Centre staff. There was a real sense of mutual respect, teamwork and always, when appropriate, a sense of humour. Many patients of and visitors to HKSH who have never heard of Dr. Lee benefitted from his work as he, together with his senior dietician June Chan, created an Allergy Menu so that people with food allergies, whether inpatients or visitors eating in the canteen, could order a meal knowing that it would be safe for them.

Over the years as I came to know him better, he would speak from time to time of his children and grandchildren. His face would light up as he described with delight and pride his daughter’s prowess in baking and the success of his son and grandsons in playing cricket. As much as I miss him tremendously both as an exceptional physician and as a person I came to regard as a friend, I can only imagine what his loss means to his family and all who loved him and worked with him. To all of them I extend my deepest condolences.   

Tak was a good friend to Graham. They were both looked after by the same guardians on Ashdown Forest in the school holidays when it was impractical to travel home to their parents in the Far East. They remained friends, despite attending different schools and universities and would meet up in London from time to time after embarking on their different careers. As it happened, Graham suffered from asthma and I remember that Tak was very helpful in offering to see Graham professionally at one point. Thinking back 30 years or so, Graham invited Tak and André to dinner and I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know them.  I remember Tak telling me part way through the meal that he was allergic to kiwi so I had to rapidly find something else for dessert as I had by unlucky chance already prepared a dish with kiwi (something I had never done before and have never done since!). He was charming and expressed great wit but with a deadpan expression which made his remarks even funnier. Tak was a very intelligent, likeable and talented man who wore his expertise lightly. We are the richer for having crossed paths with him. Graham sends his deepest condolences to all the family as do I. We hope you will be sustained by the knowledge that Tak made so many positive contributions in life and by the many fond memories you have of your time with him. 

Centre gathering — with Adrian Lee

Christmas dinner

HKIA event

Allergy Convention

Prof Lee’s Birthday

New year dinner

Allergy Centre Christmas dinner

今年初你才跟我提過這個地方，想不到今天會在這裡送別您……..從來也沒有想過你會這樣突然的離開，人生無常，一天前還有跟你聯絡，也沒察覺原來這就是最後的通話。未能跟你好好道別，我很傷心亦都很難過。多謝你一直以來的教導及鼓勵，在我的人生中能遇到你是我的福氣。跟你一起工作的十個年頭，我很開心，我很感恩能夠在工作上遇到你，你是我認識的最好的醫生，你永遠也會在我心中！

Dr Lee was my allergy doctor at Sanatorium Hospital since 2018. I was so shocked to learn the news as I only saw him a few days ago. He was a great doctor, diligent, patient, caring for his patients and gave me a lot of confidence. I am very grateful to have him as my doctor for the past few years. My sincere condolence to his family. May him Rest In Peace. 

It was a pleasure and privilege to have known Tak for more than 30 years during which I witnessed his great contribution to medical science. I have always admired his scientific curiosity, driven with determination but always accompanied by patience and pleasant demeanour. We have lost a gentle giant colleague. May he rest in peace.

Tak was not just my boss, but my senior in that there was laughter is his proudly declaring that though we were both born in 1951, he came first as my birthday was in November. I had an open door policy in that my office door was rarely closed. This meant there were numerous occasions when Tak would scare the life out of me because I did not hear him coming until he was standing beside me. The only time I could say I got one over on him was when he would email me and, as was his habit, within minutes appear in my office asking if I had read his message. My response was to say, sorry Tak, my computer is not as fast as yours. Can I order one like yours! 

I was privileged to have at times been his confidant regarding staff when he had the occasional very difficult decision to make. I knew he gave such matters more thought than most of his contemporaries. He never lost his humanity, despite the positions he held. Some people add value to your life, he did to mine.

Dr Tak Lee is a great teacher, leader and mentor. He has contributed a lot to the field of allergy in Hong Kong. I first met him when he returned from the UK to Hong Kong and started work to develop the specialty of allergy in Hong Kong. I was truly inspired by his enthusiasm and hard work. He had the charm and ability to pull the different specialties together, and we all worked in harmony. He is dearly missed by us. Rest in peace, Dr Lee, and we are all very thankful for all you have done.

Fanny Ko

To a most generous, kind and thoughtful gentleman, you will be greatly missed. 

With sincere heartfelt condolences to Adrian and Jaki and families. Ian and I have so many happy memories of our holidays spent together and so many laughs round the six o’clock drinks at La Quinta. We all knew that Tak totally relaxed at this special time. 

With all our love,

Ian, Ailsa, Peter and David xx

In Nov 1989 I'd first met Tak on a slow train from Hong Kong to GuanZhou China, to attend the first ever World Chinese Chest disease meeting. In those days there was no direct flights from London to Guangzhou. Tak was one of the two international Chinese scholar attending. Iinternational relationship had a hiccup after the June 4th incident,many invited Chinese overseas scholar had opted not to attend.  Inspite of his busy schedule as a newly appointed head of the department at a London hospital; Tak had prioritised his time to attend, as he felt the need of supporting motherland and the best way to show support would be a presence. He was the last to arrive and left as soon as he gave his talk. A typical pattern we are now all too familiar with. A true patriot who loves Hong Kong , a clansman who leads by his actions rather than words. He was late landing in Hong Kong and I stayed behind in order to accompany him. A little jetlagged, he chatted excitedly about his work on Eskimos, fish oil, food asparin and more, what a treat ! I'd became a fan, an admirer of his academic endeavours & achievement ever since. 

Fast forward to 2012, the Hong Kong Institute of allergy was excited to learn of the arrival of this academic giant and his intention to create training programme as well subspecialty of allergy and immunology.  To do so, he set up a clinic and various working  groups in order to lobbying government. His initial enthusiasm was met with skepticism/inertia amongst some. To facilitate his wish, my contribution was to abdicate presidency of HKIA so Tak could take the helm.  With his vast experience, hard work, charm,  flare, the HK institute of allergy soon expanded vastly, training post was established.  Confident in his cause and goals, Tak is not  insensitive towards others. In the earlier years he'd often ask if he had, upset some. Last decade has seen allergy departments from the two Hong Kong's Universities working closely. TakLee's efforts in achieving this harmony is, for me, one of the  legacies he leaves.

I shall miss you Tak.  I am sore because your departure is so sudden, four days after our zoom meeting and two days after your email summary of the minutes in which you'd outline the future. Moreover, you have developed a culture locally of working in harmony, not discord. 

At a personal level, it was good to learn that your life is coming together, reunited with your big, expanding clan, and finding yourself at peace at the one and only, with I presume the One and Only.

 For me, you have only moved next door and we shall meet in the not too distant future. Meanwhile, your name will no doubt be oft uttered in our meetings, over coffee, or at the bar over a Gin and something.

Rest in peace, my friend. Condolences to the LeeKee Clan.

Robert Tseng

Prof. Lee Tak Hong – An Appreciation

By Dr. Joseph Pang

I knew Tak best in the third and last decades of his life.

We first met as freshmen in Cambridge where he excelled academically, graduating with first class honours in Medical Sciences. Less well known is his achievement in sports. Not many people know that he represented the university as a half-blue in Eton Fives, a curious game like squash where the ball is hit with a gloved hand instead of a racket. During the summer vacations in Hong Kong, we partied in the seaside villa of the Yangs, Tak’s close family friend, and swam in his grand-father’s villa in Castle Peak. It was here that a memorable incident took place which was a good illustration of Tak’s character. His grand-father’s staff had put too much chlorine into the pool, and it caused painful eye irritation in the swimmers who dived in first. Emerging from the water, I warned Tak, who was still high and dry. To my surprise, he still jumped in to experience it for himself. He felt that, as host, he should suffer as his guests did.

On his stellar career, Tak told me in private that he had been lucky: positive things happened quickly for him since his early medical training at Guy’s Hospital. He was being modest – a professorial appointment at Guy’s, one of London’s most prestigious, and traditional, teaching hospitals for a Chinese would have to be based on merit. His subsequent research record and accolades in the U.K. clearly spoke of ability, not nepotism or luck. What was not lucky for Tak though was his health. Throat cancer and its treatment years ago left him with increasing speech and swallowing difficulties which he overcame with great resolve to complete an illustrious career in the U.K.

Tak returned to Hong Kong a decade ago. With his privileged family background, he could have spent more time playing golf, his new-found interest. Although we did play a few rounds in all of Hong Kong’s courses, he refused to rest on his laurels, and embarked on a second career where he made an unsurpassed contribution to the establishment of the specialty of Allergy. Who knows how much more he would have given had he lived longer?

As a friend and colleague of Tak’s for over half a century, let me offer my deepest condolences the Lee family. In spite of all his health problems which would have destroyed a lesser man, his life had brimmed over with fulfilment. Who knows, with his “mischievous sense of humour”, he may at this very moment be smiling at us from the immaculate fairways in heaven and sympathising with those of us who are still struggling to make par on earth. 

My Favourite Photo of Tak and I (3) - Apres Fishing Happy Hour!

My Favourite Photos of Tak and I (2) - Trout Fishing in New Zealand

My Favourite Photos of Tak and I (1) - On the Stone Junk