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You want your pup to reach her full potential, and this is where dog training comes in. Dorothy Veitch discovers how to bring out the best in man’s best friend Photos Courtesy of Unsplashed It’s clear that it’s never too soon to start training your dog. You should start teaching your puppy good habits the moment she comes home with you. Early training is important so that you can establish boundaries and gain better control over your dog through obedience. Start with short, less than fiveminute training sessions several times a day. Know too that, puppies need lots of positive exposure – socialisation – in their first few weeks. Aim for 100 positive exposures in the first 100 days. Without early socialisation, dogs may never reach their potential. HOUSE TRAINING The best time to begin house training your puppy is when she is between 12 and 16 weeks old. At that point, she has enough control of her bladder and bowel movements to learn to hold it. If your puppy is older than 12 weeks when you bring her home and she’s been eliminating in a cage, house training may take longer. You will have to reshape the dog’s behaviour with encouragement and reward. Experts recommend confining the puppy to a defined space, whether that means in a crate, in a room, or even on a leash. As your puppy learns that she needs to go outside to do her business, you can gradually give her more freedom to roam about the house. When you start to house train, follow these steps: Keep your puppy on a regular feeding schedule and take away her food between meals. Take her out to eliminate first thing in the morning and then once every 30 minutes to an hour. Also, always take your pup outside after meals or when she wakes from a nap. Make sure she goes out last thing at night and before she’s left alone. Take your pup to the same spot each time to do her business. Her scent will prompt her to go. When your puppy eliminates outside, praise her or give her a treat. A walk around the neighbourhood is a nice reward. POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT Understanding canine behaviour is the key to becoming a better owner and trainer. You need to work with their natural drives and instincts, not against them. Many breeds exhibit behavioural traits common to their stereotypes but it is important to remember that regardless of breed, all dogs are individuals and training should be based upon their behaviour, not on what is expected of their breed. The Positive Reinforcement training method works for all pups. Positive Reinforcement is any act that follows a behaviour that makes it more likely that the behaviour will occur again. A good example of this would be teaching a dog to ‘SIT!’ You lure the dog into a seated position with a treat and once her backside hits the floor, you deliver the treat. The dog soon learns that offering the behaviour requested, results in a treat. After the command has been learnt, the treats are phased out slowly. Importantly too, recognise when your dog is good. This is the single most frequently ignored aspect of therapy for clients whose pets have behavioural problems; when the pets are not causing trouble, almost no one tells them how good they are. This is where the most ground is lost. All dogs respond to positive voice praise. Dogs do not hit each other and so don’t understand being smacked. They understand our tone of voice: a ‘growl’ from us when they do something wrong, and a happy, highpitched voice when they behave well. Be sure to abide by the 20-second rule – you need to react vocally within 20 seconds of the puppy’s action. If you come home and yell at your dog for having made a mess in the middle of the floor, she may look scared and apologetic but in her brain she is being punished for coming to the door to greet you; she doesn’t relate the mess she made on the floor two hours ago with your attitude. BE THE ALPHA Always end any training experience on a positive note. And make sure your puppy knows she is loved. But establish some boundaries early on. A spoilt dog, who is allowed to get her own way all the time, will come to think she is the leader of the pack, the boss of the household – and she will therefore be nigh-on impossible to control. It’s important to constantly reassert your authority over your puppy. She will respect you more and respond to your discipline if you take clear control. To do this, give your commands in a stern tone of voice. You may also want to make your dog follow commands outside of training sessions. For example, make her sit and wait briefly before setting down her food dish. Always give your puppy time to fulfil your command. If it looks like she isn’t going to respond, don’t back down. You need to show your puppy that she has to listen and obey your commands. Project your authority in a calm and assertive manner. Know that some bad behaviours are best ignored. When your puppy tries to get your attention by barking, jumping up, or nipping at your fingers, ignore her. Consider what reward your puppy is trying to get when engaging in bad behaviour in order to determine when to ignore her. If your dog is jumping up on you when you come home, she probably wants your attention. Withholding your attention sends the message that she needs to act differently to get your attention. For example, if your puppy starts barking at you, turn your back on her and take away any attention. Eventually, she will learn that she gets nothing from you when she behaves poorly, and that good behaviour earns your attention and affection. Puppies are naturally playful and have to learn limits when it comes to playing rough. As soon as your puppy nips, say ‘ouch’ and yelp. Ignore your dog for up to 20 seconds after she lets go. This will teach her that you won’t tolerate rough play. (Avoid pulling your hand away when your puppy nips. She will see this as part of the game and will continue to chase you.) Dogs love to please their master/ alpha role model. They want to please the head of their pack or family unit. Most dogs are also food motivated – so small treats along with positive praise for doing the right thing go a long way. Be mindful to be calm and loving. Dogs can sense our emotions, and they react to how we feel. They are a mirror reflecting our energy and spirit. Therefore, your temper is your dog’s temper. In some daily situations, if you want them to calm down, first you must calm yourself. Dogs can sense how you feel because they are attached to you as pack leader.

What happens to the family pet on divorce? Vanessa Duff (Mitchell) , Senior Associate at Withers and Fiona Wong , Associate at Withers discuss recent Court rulings PHOTO COURTESY OF Pexels Around one in four divorces now involve a dispute over an animal and things can get messy, as the high-profile wrangle between Jennifer Aniston and her former husband Justin Theroux over their four dogs has shown. In the unfortunate event of a ‘pet custody battle,’ what would the Court decide, and on what basis? Are pets to be treated like children, with decisions being made in the best interests or welfare of the animal, or should they be viewed as a chattel, like a car or a computer? In Hong Kong, there is yet to be any case law dealing with the ownership of pets on divorce. Concepts of custody, care and control and access only relate to a child; a pet is an asset and treated as the property of its owner. If the pet is a dog, then it may only legally belong (and be registered with the AFCD) to one individual; joint legal ownership of a dog is not allowed. Overseas, the pet has often been treated as personal property. In England, the Court has looked at who purchased and financially maintained the pet. That was the focus, rather than on the party who spent more time with the pet, or who was more able (and available) to attend to its needs. However, animals are soon to be recognised as sentient beings within English law, with greater priority being given to their welfare. This may mean that going forward, the English Court will look at what would be in the best interests of the animal as a whole, and make orders accordingly. New York State is shortly set to pass a bill which will allow the Court to rule on the possession of pets, considering the ‘best interests’ of the animal, and making orders more akin to those that would be made with respect to children. Judges will be able to grant ‘shared custody’ and ownership of the animal, or visitation rights. In Singapore, Court rulings are already a welfare consideration with decisions being made in the best interests of the animal. HOW A 'PET-NUP' CAN HELP To avoid emotional disputes, many couples now sign a ‘pet-nup’ – a contractual agreement which sets out what would happen to their pet should they part ways. A ‘pet-nup’ should include who the pet will live with, what contact it will have with the other party, and who will pay for its upkeep/ vet bills. Such an agreement can be entered into at any time before or after marriage, or as part of a pre- or postnuptial agreement which deals with other financial arrangements in the event of a divorce. Signing up to this specially created document to plan for your pets’ futures can help avoid heartache should your relationship come to an end. Contact the writers: Vanessa Duff (Mitchell) at 3711 1698, vanessa.duff@withersworldwide Fiona Wong at 3711 1729, fiona.wong@withersworldwide.com . Withers, 30/F United Centre, 95 Queensway, Admiralty, 3711 1600, www.withersworldwide.com .

DB-based MMA fighter Marc Guyon of MGK fight club shares his love for the sport with Rachel Sadler PHOTOS BY Richard Gordon – www.richardgordonphotography.com MIXED MARTIAL ARTS IS A NEW SPORT and a new science. It’s not a mixture of styles adopted from other sports – it’s a sport in its own right and so should be treated differently to other similar sports like boxing. The most common styles of martial arts are kickboxing, Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu but MMA pushes the body and mind to adapt in ways that are unfamiliar to wrestlers and boxers. EVERYBODY WANTS TO LEARN MMA! It’s one of the fastest growing sports in the world and it’s the future of martial arts. It’s new and brings more excitement than boxing – a lot more can happen in an MMA fight than in a boxing match. The more MMA training you have, the more you learn, and the more you live by it. RESPECT, SELF DISCIPLINE AND SELF DEFENCE are all key benefits of MMA training for children and adults. You learn how to control your body and use it as a survival tactic, and naturally your confidence grows too. To benefit from MMA training, you don’t need to be a professional fighter. It’s mostly about enjoying the training, leading a healthy lifestyle, keeping fit and, of course, having fun. THE BEST MMA FIGHTERS are the ones who can adapt. From grappling, wrestling and striking, the key here is to know how to transition. Wrestling is an important part of MMA and can certainly help you in the cage, but only if you have learnt other skills that allow you to transition and adapt too. PREPARING FOR THE CAGE TEACHES YOU ABOUT YOURSELF . Mentally it pushes you to your limits and you’ll train at least two or three times per day. Training is the most important preparation – it’s the difference between winning and losing. Fighters also cut weight and water before weigh-in sessions – you have to go that extra mile and develop a healthy lifestyle. TO OVERCOME YOUR OPPONENT vary your tactics and stick to your training. Stay focused on your coach and the sound of the roaring crowd to keep motivation flowing. Always analyse your opponent and adapt your approach to the fight if your tactics are not working. THERE’S LESS CHANCE OF INJURY IN MMA than in other contact sports, like football or rugby. When it was created it took some time for rules to be established. Like everything new it had to be trialled to see what was safe and what was not. MMA has evolved since the 1990s and a new type of competition has been formed. THE FIRST MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST BRUCE LEE had the idea to develop martial arts further and he knew that the means for its evolution was promotion. Like football, MMA grew as more people became interested, and with that came money and development. The bigger MMA becomes the worse it could potentially become. Traditional martial arts is one extreme and football the other – showbiz can create a subculture of fake fans who are just watching for the beer drinking side of sport. Marc Guyon is a professional MMA fighter and the founder of MGK Fight Club in DB Plaza, where he teaches MMA and kung fu. To find out more and get training, call 9688 4744 or visit www.marcguyon.hk .

Founded by two brothers Greg and Andrew MacDonald, SolarFuture’s ( www.solarfuture.hk ) goal is to assist the transition of Hong Kong to green energy and thereby ensure a cleaner, more eco-forward future. The team has installed and connected just under 100 homes to the Hong Kong Grid in 18 months, including two on DB’s Headland Drive. “In 2019, the government announced the launch of the Hong Kong Feed In Tariff (FIT) Scheme for Renewable Energy. Under this initiative, homeowners and landlords are encouraged to install renewable energy solar PV systems on their rooftops to generate clean energy which they can then sell to the local electricity utility (CLP/ HK Electric) at very generous rates, far higher than what the homeowner or landlord pays per unit for the electricity they use,” Greg says. “This announcement was the impetus for us to found SolarFuture.” Right now, SolarFuture’s clients are enjoying return on investment of over 25% per annum, meaning the payback of capital cost of investment is under four years, with a fixed contract with CLP/ HK Electric until December 31, 2033. “At SolarFuture, we believe in protecting our clients’ longterm returns, so we offer a maintenance contract, inclusive of monitoring, for a nominal yearly fee,” says Andrew. “We use only the highest quality products with a mixture of aluminium and stainless steel to ensure our systems can withstand Hong Kong’s harsh weather.” Solar PV installation not only makes financial sense, it also looks great and can drastically reduce the heat load on a property, acting as a heat shield and protecting the rooftop. "Another fantastic benefit to solar PV installation is the opportunity to contribute to a cleaner, greener Hong Kong,” says Andrew. “The residential systems that SolarFuture installs can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 10,000kg per year! That’s a phenomenal contribution to cleaner air for our children to breathe.” SolarFuture has also pioneered the opportunity for landlords who lease their houses to install a separate electrical metre, dedicated to the Solar PV system, and thereby increase the revenue from their rentals. It’s easy to see why the MacDonalds make such a winning team. Greg is an electronic engineer with 18 years’ corporate experience in London. Andrew is a serial entrepreneur with a BSc Hons in Conservation and 15 years’ experience in running his own businesses. Added to which, their father, who founded and ran TEC Electrical, one of the largest independent electrical contracting companies in South Africa, has been a valuable source of information and advice for SolarFuture from the get-go. “We grew up around building sites, watching them transform into functional and beautiful completed projects that added value to people’s daily lives,” Andrew finishes. “When we started SolarFuture in Hong Kong, we brought our dad here to provide his advice and extensive knowledge on every aspect of what we planned to do. We truly love what we do and look forward to completing many more projects in DB in the near future.”

Hongkongdivorce.com is an educational tool and resource for those individuals struggling with divorce in Hong Kong. On hongkongdivorce.com , you can find all the answers you need to point you in the right direction to assist you in navigating through the complexities of divorce in Hong Kong. The website was created by a group of individuals, all of whom are actively involved in the divorce and family law arena in Hong Kong. The objective of this website is to provide the public with easily accessible information related to divorce. The resources on the website clarifies how the divource proccess works in Hong Kong and provides a clear and concise overview of the law, answers common queries about divorce and provides general support to those in need. The website will introduce you to, and explain the roles of those professionals who may become involved in your divorce process, from solicitors and barristers, to mediators and marriage counsellors, so that your collaboration with these professionals will be on equal, informed terms. The website will provide a guide as to how family law practitioners operate, what you can do to keep your legal costs down, whether you actually need a lawyer, and how to pick one if needed. Feel free to contact them, at 2186 1810 or by email at info@hongkongdivorce.com for any enquiries. Please note that hongkongdivorce.com itself is not a legal advice provider but only an educational resource tool.

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes 30 to 40 cookies 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup white granulated sugar 1tsp vanilla extract 1 egg 3 cups all-purpose flour ½tsp salt 2tsp baking powder 1 egg white 2 cups icing sugar 1tbsp lemon juice 1tbsp water Preheat the oven to 176˚C. Cream together the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and egg. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (flour, salt and baking powder). Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time and mix until everything is combined and crumbly. Wet your hands and knead the mixture by hand. Separate it into 2 to 3 dough balls. Cover the remaining dough balls with plastic wrap while you’re rolling. Don’t chill the dough. Place the dough on a floured surface, sprinkle a little flour on top to keep the rolling pin from sticking and roll it out until it’s about a ¼” thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the shapes, then transfer them to a parchment-lined cookie tray. Bake at 176˚C for 8 to 10 minutes. For the royal icing: Combine the egg white and icing sugar and whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until opaque and shiny, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and continue whipping until completely incorporated, about 3 minutes. The royal icing should be light, fluffy and slightly stiff. Add 1tbsp water or a little more to adjust the consistency. Add food colouring if you prefer coloured icing. Make a cornet and fill it to start decorating.

DB tweens Parth Sane and Kaydn Park are on individual missions to help make the world that little bit better. Elizabeth Kerr reports PHOTOS BY Baljit Gidwani - www.evoqueportraits.com Parth Sane is going to reduce tennis’ environmental impact. Kaydn Park is going to contribute to popular football coach Christian Romano’s cancer treatment. The 11-year-old Discovery College students spent the better part of their summers serving the community in some form. No one would hold it against them if they wanted to sit at home and play video games in climate-controlled rooms, but Parth and Kaydn opted for a more active school break. Tennis player Parth’s project is Every Ball Matters ( www.everyballmatters.com ) , a programme designed to collect, reuse and repurpose tennis balls and the cans they come in. Trail runner Kaydn started fundraising for Christian’s treatment about two weeks after the 28-year-old HK Dragons Football Club coach was diagnosed in mid-June. “When he dropped into practice, he always made me and the other kids feel happy. He’s a nice guy and a great coach,” recalls Kaydn. “When we heard about his diagnosis and that he had no medical insurance we got to talking about it, and I thought I would help him, and then thought about what I did best.” That statement could be applied equally to both boys. They have more in common than school and community activism. Both are avid readers with imaginative tastes. Parth is a fan of The Mysterious Benedict Society and Harry Potter, and he’s currently catching up on Trollhunters. Kaydn recently discovered Enter the Dragon, and lights up at the prospect of Game of Death. He has thoughts about Jungle Cruise: “Why couldn’t the guy do anything to himself about the curse? Can’t they do any healing spells? Or a protection spell for his daughter? I know what they were trying but they could have made the curse part a bit more realistic.” Despite their youth, or perhaps because of it, both Kaydn and Parth have very definite plans for the future. Kaydn is looking at a career in mathematics – “give me some difficult questions and some time and I’ll figure it out” – and Parth is aiming for a career in tennis with the ATP. THE TENNIS PLAYER Born in Hong Kong, Parth has been playing tennis since he was four, initially here in DB with Ajit Gidwani of Forward Motion. He’s now a regular in local junior tennis tournaments and enrolled in the Hong Kong Tennis Association National Training Programme. Parth plays four times weekly, for three hours at a stretch. On this second day of secondary school, he and mum Bashuli, who relocated here from eastern India as a newlywed, come bounding into a DB coffee shop, both decked out in tennis gear. “I got to wondering one day where the balls go after they’re used. So I made a survey and found out most people just toss them,” explains Parth. “I created a website and used it as a school project and it built from there. More and more people saw the survey and responded, and so I included the results on the website. And it’s not just balls; it’s the tin cans they come in.” DB’s courts use roughly 2,500 balls monthly, most of which wind up in landfill. Parth then discovered of the 325 million tennis balls manufactured annually, 300 million are trashed after just an average of 10 hours of use (much less for pros). It takes 400 years for one tennis ball to decompose. Unlike footballs and basketballs, they can’t be re-inflated. The project morphed into Every Ball Matters (EBM). “You don’t need to open a can every single time you practise,” Parth chides. Parth has piercing greenish, almost teal eyes, which can either implore or shame you depending on the circumstances. In just over three months 2,000 tennis balls have been repurposed for junior players’ use and as donations to less privileged young athletes in the Philippines. Over 300 cans have been collected for recycling. The website Parth built for EBM offers up ideas on what to do with old balls and cans and a clear outline of his methodology. He explains the lifecycle of a tennis ball as going from firmest yellow to green, orange and softest red, and how dotting them indicates their age. But what becomes of balls after the red stage? “That’s what I’m not sure of right now,” Parth says. “I found a big company in the US that makes the balls into playground turf. I hope I can find someone closer that does the same kind of thing. I’m also going to reach out to HEAD. The Asia boss used to be my coach.” Evidently, Parth is connected too. Connected and mad about tennis. Recalling a family trip to Wimbledon, Parth describes how he got to “touch the grass and see Novak Djokovic play.” He goes into great detail about his most recent, unfortunately losing, doubles match in Victoria Park. “I’m a better singles player. My serve and my volley are good but my backhand could use work,” he comments, nodding vigorously when asked if he’s got a Grand Slam in his future, hopefully an Australian Open or Wimbledon. But Parth’s not about to let EBM fade away. He’s hoping to set up collection points around DB and Lantau, and one is confirmed for Decathlon Sports in Central, which could spread to other shops if it takes off. Don’t forget, every ball matters. THE RUNNER While Parth looks at the big picture and his preferred sport’s impact on the environment, Kaydn is leveraging his to help a friend. Kaydn and his mum Claire are sitting at the same table the Sanes did a week later. With Year 8 around the corner, Kaydn is heading to a football trial in Causeway Bay; he’s a centre. Unsurprisingly, centres do the most running. Kaydn has lived in Hong Kong since he was five months old, when his parents relocated from Scotland. He also has vibrant green eyes (what’s in DB’s water?) that dart around and hint at an active mind. Though Kaydn has “been running since he could stand,” according to Claire, he really got a feel for trail running with his dad. “I started to think it was really fun,” says Kaydn. “I could move quickly, dodging ditches and streams, going down slopes… just be agile.” In the last few years, Kaydn’s won three Team FEAR adventure races and completed a 7K Challenge (seven kilometres every day for seven weeks) and an Everest Challenge (which entailed running up 850 metres every day until hitting the requisite 8,848 metres). He ran the Hong Kong Trail in nine hours last Christmas. To help Christian, Kaydn wanted to do something fresh as well, so he came up with the idea of running every street in DB – a total of 30.43 kilometres. With an assist from Facebook, DB Mums and word of mouth, Kaydn racked up sponsors. Wanting to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later, he knocked off the last day of school on June 30 and ran from his home at Peninsula Village through the tunnel to DB North Plaza. DBers followed his course along the way, offering a combination of encouragement and water. “I thought I’d be lucky to raise HK$8,000. A friend pointed out that if everyone paid up, I might raise HK$20,000,” he notes proudly. In the end, Kaydn’s run raised just shy of HK$60,000. Kaydn followed up on his run by taking part in the July 17 Christian Romano Football Fundraiser sponsored by Tanner De Witt. The tournament saw several junior football teams play in DB to honour their coach and was the precursor to a second football fundraiser for adult teams on July 31 at Happy Valley Racecourse. Right now, Kaydn is flirting with other ideas for running challenges later in the year, some of which may go towards the ongoing fundraising for Christian (search Christian Romano at www.gofundme.com for donation info). At the top of his run list is a 55-kilometre circumnavigation of Hong Kong Island when it cools down, or something like the 7K Challenge. “My dad suggested the MacLehose but no,” he blanches. “That’s a bit too long.” For now.

Prep Time: 60 minutes Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 2tsp baking soda 1tsp salt 1½tsp cinnamon 1¼ cups vegetable oil 1 cup refined sugar 1 cup light brown sugar Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon) until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (oil, sugars and vanilla). Whisk in the eggs one at a time until blended. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until the batter is smooth. Stir in the carrots, nuts and raisins. Place in a baking pan and bake at 180˚C for 50 to 55 minutes. For the frosting: Combine the cream cheese, icing sugar and whipping cream in an electric mixer on medium speed. Add food colouring for the coloured icing. Make a cornet and fill it to start decorating

Gaylene Meeson has been shaving her head every September for nine years to raise funds for childhood cancer research – and her recent return to the UK won’t change that. Elizabeth Kerr reports It’s 9am in England, where Gaylene Meeson, her husband Nigel and their daughter Hannah are living these days – and Gaylene is in fine fettle. “I love the fresh air and the long summer evenings here in Somerset,” she says. “I love being able to catch up with family and friends. I am loving living in a house with spare rooms and a big back garden. And I love grocery shopping in Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, and it not costing an arm and a leg!” And after six years in DB, what does Gaylene miss? “I miss my weekly watercolour and oil painting classes with Yulia Shautsukova. I miss the wonderful friends I left behind. I miss the DB guiding, especially Brownie pack B girls, their wonderful parents and the other guide leaders. And I miss catching the ferry into Central. “Hong Kong is just too expensive if you’re retired,” Gaylene adds, “but we’ll be back holidaying and using it as a stopover when in Asia to see friends.” Relocation is never easy but it’s particularly challenging if you have a child with disabilities, which 13-year-old Hannah does after aggressive chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy to combat brain cancer diagnosed in 2012. SIX YEARS IN DB Gaylene and her family arrived in Hong Kong in 2015 after a stint in the Cayman Islands, settling on DB following an accessibility scouting trip. They needed step-free entrances and easily navigable pavements, plus easy connection to the rest of the city. “Everywhere we looked had pros and cons but DB ticked the boxes,” recalls Gaylene, adding that proximity to HKILA, the DB international school which provides inclusionary, ‘stage-not-age’ education, was the clincher. “It truly is the most wonderful school, headed up by Justine Barlow who treats education as a journey not as a destination. Every child is taught at a pace that encourages them to thrive, to develop a love of learning and curiosity beyond the walls of the classroom.” HKILA and the relative ease of getting around made DB nearly ideal. Nearly. Gaylene’s direct, clearly not one to suffer fools, but she’s also got a wry streak she could wield like a scalpel to make a point, especially when relaying stories about escalator barriers to prevent the earth shattering removal of shopping trolleys from shops, or the lack of ramp access because of the potential tragedy of skateboarders swiping them. Needless to say, Gaylene is an advocate for childhood cancer but she’s also for accessibility for those with disabilities. FILLING THE FUNDING GAP By the time they arrived in the SAR, Gaylene had become far more vocal about what Hannah, and people like her, needed. After almost completing a course of treatment, Hannah relapsed in 2013. “I can’t describe how desperate and devastating it was,” says Gaylene. The Meesons were shuttling back and forth from the Caymans to Houston’s MD Anderson cancer hospital, and the world’s best doctors handed them some new drugs and a paper about a European trial. “I said, ‘Is that the best there is?’ and the doctor said yes. I had no idea there was so little research for children’s cancer. That was the defining moment when I decided I had to do something, because doing nothing was not an option.” That’s when Gaylene found St Baldrick’s Foundation, the world’s largest non-governmental research funder, and its programme that encourages volunteers to shave off their hair in solidarity with those fighting cancer. Without the foundation quite being on board (yet) Gaylene and some friends – one fortuitously, a hairdresser – hosted a fundraiser to kick off Hannah’s Heroes. With just 35 people, some music and a silent auction Gaylene raised US$90,000 – and got St Baldrick’s attention. Gaylene is one of the foundation’s most effective advocates, having raised over US$2.5 million since 2013 (check out the Hero Fund list at www.stbaldricks.org ). Shave proceeds in Hong Kong go to St Baldrick’s though local partner Children’s Cancer Foundation Gaylene’s comment about underfunding is an understatement. Half of the treatments in use today were approved in the mid-1980s, leaving children and their doctors to battle cancers using 35-year old tools. According to the US National Institutes of Health, none of the National Cancer Institute 2018 budget of US$5.9 billion was earmarked for juvenile cancers, though the Minnesota-based Children’s Cancer Research Fund (and others) claim the figure is just 4% of that federal funding – or US$236 million. The figures are similar in the UK and Australia (Gaylene says it’s roughly 1% in those locations) and is near zero in Hong Kong. For the record, the proposed Department of Defence budget for 2020 was US$718.3 billion. “Children aren’t valued, so what’s left is families selling lemonade and shaving their heads,” Gaylene laments. “Because, I guess, children don’t vote. THE LEGACY September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the legacy of Hannah’s Heroes in DB lives on. During her six-year sojourn, Gaylene also helped set up the Brownies and inspired several of her charges to shave their heads and donate their hair. “The disabled are hesitant to advocate for themselves, or make a fuss. Which is why I got into Girl Guides, because it’s an inclusive organisation,” explains Gaylene. "Disabled kids are still routinely excluded, but in a structured guide unit they have to take care of each other in their Sixes." “Brownies learn empathy, about working in the community and about how others are less fortunate than they are,” continues Gaylene. “I’m passionate about inspiring people to join me and do something. Anything. If it’s not cancer research find something, and make the communities we live in better.” In pandemic-stricken 2020, Hannah’s Heroes managed to raise an impressive US$80,000 during a virtual event, an all-time low, but Gaylene was happy to spread awareness, which is always the goal. “If you don’t know, you can’t help,” she states, noting that COVID has done a great deal to insert our collective health and community into the conversation. Besides, US$80,000 is nothing to sniff at. “Every dollar is one more dollar than we had,” Gaylene says of a year when we were all worrying about jobs and security. Last year was about compassion, and it seems this one is too, if the outpouring of support for HK Dragons coach Christian Romano in his own cancer fight is any indication. The community fundraiser for Christian on August 28 saw an all-day market at DB North Pitch and a concert at Hemingway’s – plus another successful blood and bone marrow donation drive organised by Ada Wong and Tanya Inkin. Gaylene’s autumn, meanwhile, will revolve around settling into Somerset, sorting out the house and camping with Hannah’s new Guides unit. The Meesons haven’t lived in England for 15 years, so all three will be finding their feet. One thing that’s not changing is Hannah’s schooling; she’s continuing at HKILA by remote. “Don’t get me started on education,” huffs Gaylene, arguing any UK school Hannah enrols in would place her with 13-year-olds despite her radiation therapy impacted development. “She’d be in learning support all day and then all alone in the playground because kids generally don't reach out to other kids who are different. Empathy… has to be taught. Social time at school is a myth if you're disabled. I don’t want to put her through that.” Come late September Gaylene will be buzzing off her hair, and for the first time she’ll be doing it away from the warmth of the Caymans or Hong Kong, supporting the kids without the luxury of choice in mind. “I’ll just be cold,” she finishes. “And it's just hair."

The COVID-19 pandemic and the levels of restrictions still in place continue to affect our lives. How are children feeling this year as they return to school after the long vac, and what can parents do to help? Dorothy Veitch reports It will be hard to gauge the full impact the pandemic is having on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing until we emerge from it fully. Safe to say, some children, despite restrictions, feel safe and mostly enjoy their lives; others find themselves severely challenged. While some children and young people will be excited to be returning to school after the summer break, others will be feeling very differently. It may be that school no longer feels ‘normal’ to them – though schools reopened briefly at the end of May, homeschooling had been the norm for the best part of six months before that. Children who enjoyed the freedom afforded by homeschool may not relish the prospect of a ‘longterm’ return to the classroom. Others, who have grown increasingly reliant on being at home with family, may not feel like school is a safe place. FEELINGS OF UNCERTAINTY The sudden and often inconsistent changes experienced during the pandemic may have led to many children and young people feeling uncertain. Children may worry that things which used to feel safe and predictable, such as school, are no longer something they can rely on. There may be a lack of confidence amongst young people in the adults in their lives. As they have seen adults struggle to agree about how to manage the crisis, their sense that they can rely on adults to keep them safe may have been diminished. Due to a potential lack of confidence amongst young people in the way that the pandemic has been dealt with by adults, they may be feeling uncertain about measures their school is taking to keep them safe. There may be a great deal of uncertainty about ongoing safety measures and restrictions. The impact of further coronavirus outbreaks on school attendance (and parents’ income) will be another source of worry for many children. DOUBTFUL TRANSITIONS As children’s education continues to be affected by the pandemic, with various restrictions in place, the usual preparation that would be done with pupils transitioning to the next school year may be lacking. This will be particularly challenging for those moving from primary to secondary school, those moving into exams years and those preparing to leave school. For those who are approaching the end of their time at school – whether they are considering transitions to college or university or looking for work – the impact of the virus and subsequent restrictions on admissions processes, exam procedures and employment prospects remains unclear, and many pupils are likely to worry about their future. FRIENDSHIPS AND BULLYING With social distancing measures – in and outside of school – friendships may have become strained or deteriorated. As peer groups are an important source of support for young people, this may mean that many will have lacked a vital source of support in managing the stresses of the pandemic. Children’s lives have started to ‘get back to normal’ over the holidays, with many restrictions lifted, but many may still feel apprehensive about returning to school and reconnecting with large numbers of their peers. The nature of the crisis itself – around a contagious illness – is a potent opportunity for bullying to arise. Social distancing and handwashing measures are likely to still be necessary for some time and could provide fuel for bullying around potential ‘contagion.’ Growing up in such a culturally rich community, it is said that DB kids don’t ‘see colour’ but it is important to be aware of the rise in incidents of racism worldwide around coronavirus. LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT Some children and young people will have relatives or friends who have died during the pandemic, due to coronavirus or other illnesses. Even more will be aware of a relative or friend being seriously unwell or hospitalised. For other young people, there will be other types of loss – for example, they may have experienced long-term isolation from important figures in their life, such as grandparents. Regardless of the type of loss, many will be experiencing this with a sense of grief. The way that children and young people respond to those feelings of loss and grief will differ widely – some may seem sad or withdrawn, others may appear irritable or angry. For children and young people who were receiving support for mental and physical health problems prior to the pandemic, this will likely have been disrupted or cancelled. This loss of an important source of support may mean children and young people with pre-existing conditions are struggling. CONFLICTS AT HOME Children already experiencing challenging home environments may have seen their circumstances worsen during the pandemic. Others will have been facing challenging home situations – domestic violence, abuse or neglect, family conflict, financial concerns (due to loss of employment for parents) – for the first time. The scale of the challenge isn’t yet clear but if you consider that UK-based domestic violence charity Refuge has reported a 700% increase in calls to their helpline, it is likely that significantly increased pastoral care resources will be required well beyond the pandemic. PARENTAL SUPPORT Children may have worries in the coming weeks as they prepare to return to school, so it’s time to start talking. Talk to them in a way that is sensitive to their needs – you will know your child best. Don’t intrude or impose yourself, but gently open the conversation and let them know you’re there for them if they want to talk. Make yourself available as much as possible. Children may want to come and ‘debrief’ when you least expect it. Create space for talking in different ways, such as going on a walk together or baking together – there may be less pressure in these circumstances than when sitting face-to-face. Check in with them periodically. Don’t assume children are ok because they seem it. Ask how things are going. Ask questions like: What are you looking forward to about being back at school? Any worries or challenges? If you feel comfortable, you could share your own worries and feelings about the current situation. Acknowledge that it’s normal to feel anxious about going back to school – try sharing an example of a time you’ve felt nervous about going into a new situation. Importantly too, share coping strategies – talk about what you do when you feel stressed, such as speaking with friends and family, exercising, or using breathing techniques. Lastly, be positive. Express your hope (though not your certainty) that the return to school signifies a return to normal life. Discuss all the opportunities this opens up – time spent with friends, direct interaction with teachers, new extra-curricular activities to enjoy. In the coming weeks, empower your children to enjoy being back at school by ensuring they eat well, take care of their bodies and get plenty of sleep.

Paula's Roast Beef Tenderlion with Red Wine Sauce Recipe & Photo By Paula Lepora Serves 6 8tbsp unsalted butter 3 large shallots, finely chopped 230ml red wine 6 fresh thyme sprigs 1tsp sugar 1,210ml beef stock 2tbsp all-purpose flour 1 (3lb) centre-cut beef tenderloin To make the sauce, melt 5tbsp butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat, until soft. Add the wine, thyme sprigs, sugar and 1,150ml beef stock. Season well and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half. Meanwhile, melt 3tbsp butter and combine it with the flour to form a smooth paste. Once the wine mixture is reduced, turn down the heat and remove the thyme sprigs. Whisk in the flour-butter paste, a teaspoonful at a time, and simmer until the sauce is thickened. For the tenderloin, preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat 2tbsp oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef well and cook it until browned on all but one side. Turn the meat so that the un-seared side is down, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the centre of the meat registers 120°F for medium rare. Transfer the meat to a carving board and let it rest, covered loosely with aluminum foil. Meanwhile, set the pan on the stovetop, having discarded the fat, and add 60ml beef stock. Bring the stock to a boil, add it to the red wine sauce, and then bring the sauce to a simmer. Carve the beef to serve, passing the red wine sauce at the table. If you are inspired by this recipe, visit www.lekker.hk . Founded by two DB residents, Neil Schonken and Ainslie Vosloo, Lekker Laa is a specialty online food and wine business now delivering to DB. On top of delicious wine and meat (such as traditional boerewors) from South Africa, Lekker carries salmon from Norway, bacon from the Netherlands and steak from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Find more of Paula Lepore’s recipes at the DB dinner & dessert Facebook page.

Founded in 2015, NOSH is Hong Kong’s first made-for-delivery food brand and it’s dedicated to helping everyone make healthy, convenient and smart food choices. Freshly made meals, with a 550 average calorie count, are prepared daily by NOSH’s in-house chef from nutritionist approved recipes. They are then delivered straight to your home or office in fully biodegradable packaging. NOSH’s food packaging is made out of sugarcane and PLA plastics, which means it decomposes in 51 days in landfill. NOSH believes eating better is also about leaving our planet better than we found it. To this end, NOSH also works to ensure that both premium and sustainable ingredients make it into every box. NOSH provides a wide range of three- to 20-day meal plans to help you achieve your nutritional and fitness goals. Its newest meal plan, NOSH Flexitarian, launched in July with a focus on health – it’s a lifestyle choice rather than a diet. With a veggie breakfast and lunch, and a low-carb dinner, it averages 1,200 calorie per day. NOSH Veggie , at around 1,000 to 1,300 calories a day, is designed not just for vegetarians but also for people who want to experience the effects of a plant based diet and its proven health benefits. Plant-based diets can cleanse the body from the inside out and lower risks of chronic diseases, whilst revitalising the body and skin. NOSH Keto helps you follow a low-carb, moderate protein, high-fat ketogenic diet. The plan helps you burn fat more efficiently because your body goes into a state of ketosis. NOSH nutritionists are on hand to help you decide if the keto diet would benefit you. NOSH Lose Weight is a low-carb diet plan averaging 1,200 to 1,300 calories a day. It relies on a calorie deficit to help people lose weight, get back into shape and lead healthier lives. A weight-loss meal plan can be an easy lifestyle change, again with the right nutritionist’s help. As always with NOSH, the aim is for all of us to eat well and live better. Discount for Around DB readers: 15% discount on all meal plans Apply Code: AROUNDDB15 Expiry date: September 30 NOSH delivers daily to DB Place your order online at www.nosh.hk FB: Facebook.com/nosh.hk IG: Instagram.com/nosh.hk