An uphill struggle to regain full fitness and love of life

So Chi-keung is still haunted by images of patients in his hospital ward being wheeled off to the morgue, one by one. He was quarantined for a month, wondering if his number would come up next.

In 2003, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome overwhelmed Hong Kong, but So lived in denial. He complained that the thermometer used to take his temperature was broken, but when a different thermometer was used, his temperature remained unchanged. He started having breathing difficulties and felt as though he was drowning.

Today, So, 52, doesn't give the impression of someone who has survived a grave illness. The shadows of the emaciated patient who recovered from the deadly epidemic 14 years ago have gone, and he was passionate and full of vigor as he described how he survived the deadly illness and rediscovered the joy of living.