Former Star Nicola Cheung Defends Buddhist Master After Daughter's Miraculous Recovery
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
Former Hong Kong entertainer Nicola Cheung Sin-yuet (張新悅, formerly 張燊悅) has responded emotionally to online criticism after crediting a Buddhist master for her eldest daughter Lucy's near-miraculous survival from severe bacterial meningitis in late 2022. The 50-year-old mother of four, who retired from entertainment in 2007 following her marriage to businessman Yeung Chit-on (楊哲安), posted a detailed 10-minute video on social media defending her spiritual mentor against accusations of superstition, ingratitude toward medical professionals, and financial fraud .
Key Points
- Cheung's daughter Lucy contracted bacterial meningitis after returning from the UK in late 2022, with two bacteria and one virus simultaneously detected in her system
- The teenager developed 14 life-threatening complications including sepsis, scarlet fever, sinusitis, and toxic shock syndrome, with brain pressure surging to a critical 54mm mercury
- Queen Mary Hospital issued two emergency craniotomy notices, warning the surgery would result in death, blindness, paralysis, or disability
- Lucy was discharged on January 11, 2023, and Cheung publicly thanked the hospital medical team just 12 days later on January 23
- The Buddhist master charged no fees, refused donations, performed no rituals, never visited the hospital, and had no direct contact with Lucy throughout the entire process
Why It Matters
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in Hong Kong between traditional spiritual practices and scientific rationalism, particularly when families face life-threatening medical crises. Cheung's case has sparked broader conversations about freedom of religious expression and the limits of public scrutiny into personal spiritual choices. The incident also underscores the complex emotional journey parents endure when navigating between modern medicine and faith-based support systems during pediatric medical emergencies .
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in Hong Kong between traditional spiritual practices and scientific rationalism, particularly when families face life-threatening medical crises. Cheung's case has sparked broader conversations about freedom of religious expression and the limits of public scrutiny into personal spiritual choices. The incident also underscores the complex emotional journey parents endure when navigating between modern medicine and faith-based support systems during pediatric medical emergencies .