Dr. Wally Chung / Donor

www.supporting.ubc.ca

Innovative gift brings history to life.

Thanks to Dr. Wally Chung and his family, UBC students have access to an innovative way of learning -- "hands-on history." Dr. Chung has donated his collection of historical books, CPR collectibles and other materials to the UBC Library. Students can examine, touch and analyze more than 21,000 books and artifacts that chronicle rare events in Canadian history. The artifacts include newspaper clippings, posters, silverware and even a journal from a former Prime Minister. Hundreds of the books chronicle the history of the Asian community in Canada, and still more of them examine every aspect of British Columbia's history. Among them: actual journals of Captain Cook and Captain Vancouver. "We are giving the collection to UBC so as many people as possible can have the opportunity to understand and appreciate the struggles and the joys of those who have come before them."

Why did you start collecting in the first place?

I love books and anything from the CPR. When I was six years old I started collecting news clippings, posters -- anything about the CPR.

What is your favourite piece in the collection?

When I was growing up, there was a picture of a beautiful white CPR steamship in my father's tailor shop in Victoria -- I used to love looking at it and imagining what it was like. The ship was called the Empress of Asia- and the model of it that I restored is my favourite part of the collection.

How many years have you been building this collection?

Collecting has been my all-consuming hobby for 40 years.

Tell me about your career in medicine.

I was a vascular surgeon until I retired in 1991 -- I also taught at UBC for 30 years. It's running in my family now -- my son and daughter are both in medicine.

Credo:

Always count your blessings. In whatever I do, I always try to remember how lucky I am to live in Canada, and how lucky I am to live here now -- especially when I view the history of the Chinese in this country. My parents came here from China in 1897, and would have been amazed at the opportunities I and my children have had. I consider myself very lucky.