Margaret Chung Suspected to Have ALS

On September 11, former TVB actress Margaret Chung (鍾麗淇) was rumored to be hospitalized and admitted to ICU due to serious illness, sparking widespread concern from netizens. Reported to be suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease – the same progressive neuro-degenerative disorder which took her mother’s life, the 49-year-old has allegedly been undergoing treatment for a period of time.

Tenacity in the Face of Illness

Previously, Margaret’s sallow appearance at a “sisters” gathering which included good friends Toby Leung (梁靖琪), Annie Man (文頌嫻), and Sherming Yiu (姚樂怡) raised concern when netizens spotted the actress’s unwell and sallow looks – a stark contrast to her usually bubbly appearance. The recent news is especially worrisome, given how the family’s encounters with rare diseases. Margaret’s brother had passed away suddenly at age 19 from muscular atrophy; his diagnosis still unclear at the point of death. Other than her own health crisis, the actress’s mother, Madam Lai Siu Lin (黎少蓮) had been diagnosed with ALS in the year 2001.

Despite being told by doctors that there was no cure for the disease, she persevered and fought a good fight against the debilitating illness, actively planning out her remaining years and becoming an advocate to encourage others as vice-president of the Hong Kong Neuro-Muscular Disease Association. While her condition worsened towards the end such that she was immobilized and unable to speak or swallow, she still held on to witness her daughter’s marriage and eventually carry her eldest granddaughter Isabella – who also has a rare disease – in her arms. Her decade-long fight became a lesson in resilience and tenacity for Margaret.

Margaret Asks for Privacy to Focus on Her “Health and Family”

The actress has displayed remarkable perseverance herself. Tying the knot to her Chinese-Italian beau Nardone Ruggero in 2010, the couple share a loving marriage with two daughters. Eldest child Isabella was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) at six months; her parents were told their child could not survive beyond two years’ old, but Isabella has thrived under her parents’ loving care, and recently passed her 15th birthday.

With Margaret facing her own battle this time, her good friend Toby’s companionship is believed to be a vital support.

Margaret posted a recent Instagram text update in both English and Chinese on September 11, thanking everyone for their concern while respectfully asking for the space and privacy needed so she can focus on her health and her family.

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