Yuk Sim Chan

April 3, 1928 - December 26, 2020

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our mother Yuk Sim Chan. She passed away peacefully at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital’s (MSJ) Extended Care Unit (ECU). She was able to wait for her two sons to rush to her bedside to hold her hands and say their final good-byes to her before she drifted away peacefully.

Predeceased by her husband Kwun Yim Chan (1997), she will be greatly missed by her sons, Robert (Connie), Raymond (Joan); grandchildren, Alexander, Angela, and Angus (Winnie); and great-grandchildren, Titus and Loukas who brought her tremendous joy.

She is survived by her sister Christina (Henry), nephew Christopher (Eva), nieces Carolyn (Ercole), Mary (Doug), and Elizabeth (Graham), and many grand nephews and grand nieces.

Mum was born in Nan Tong Village in the city of Zhongshan. Mum’s childhood was a challenge. Her education came to a stop when her mum took the two daughters to live in Macau to escape from the Japanese occupation. Mum also had to survive China’s civil war. Mum and dad immigrated to Macau in the 1950s. Mum and dad owned the Wise Man Cafe and mum was in charge of the kitchen. Mum, dad, and the two sons joined her parents and sister in Vancouver in 1966. She worked at Jimmy’s Fine Foods until she retired in 1990. She maintained a good rapport with her co-workers and several of them were life-long friends.

Mum lived independently and courageously with vertigo and various joint ailments for many years. Angela and Angus lived with their grandma and helped to take care of her while attending UBC. Mum fell at home in January, 2017 and moved into MSJ’s ECU at the end of February. Mum lost the functions of her arms and legs in May 2017 because three of her cervical vertebrae were pressing on her cervical spinal column. Mum gained some functions of her left arm and her right hand after receiving acupuncture treatments from her physiotherapist Ellis Lai. Mum survived a cardiac failure in August 2017 with the excellent care of MSJ’s medical staff and Care Aides and her determination to see her great-grandchildren growing up.

Mum enjoyed and appreciated all the relatives and friends who made the effort to visit her regularly. She also enjoyed special outings to have dinners at her favourite restaurant - Continental Seafood Restaurant.

ECU’s dedicated, confident, and compassionate team together with mum’s companions made her stay at MSJ as comfortable as possible. Our families appreciate their dedication very much. Mum had limited English and combined with her hard of hearing, she nicknamed the staff to help her to identify them.

Our mum had a significant impact on everyone who was fortunate enough to spend any time with her. Mum was all about family and innately had a very caring and loving personality. She will be forever missed but her character and voice will stay with us. Furthermore, we will carry on her legacy of treating everyone with love and respect and lending a helping hand to the underprivileged.

To all the staff of Mount Saint Joseph Hospital’s Extended Care Unit, thank you for welcoming mum and making her stay as comfortable as possible.