Tireless Susan always fought for the needy

Published on Friday 22 August 2008 10:59

SUSAN Wong, a tireless campaigner for the rights of the disabled and disadvantaged, has died at the age of 54.

Best known as the chair of Morningside Community Council, Susan Wong overcame ill-health throughout her life to fight for the rights of others who did not possess her own steely determination.

Born in March 1954, she grew up in Morningside, and while still at Mary Erskine school she was diagnosed with the digestive illness, ulcerative colitis.

Despite the illness she went on to train as a nurse and worked at the Western General for a few short years before becoming too unwell to continue. Her vision deteriorated, leaving her partially sighted, and she also developed a heart condition.

A brief marriage brought her a son, Michael, now aged 25, to whom she was devoted. It was not until the age of 18 that he was diagnosed with the autism-related Asperger's Syndrome, at which point Mrs Wong threw herself into learning everything she could about the condition.

She became involved in community activism through membership of Friends of the Hermitage, and subsequently joined the community council, becoming chairwoman in 2001.

Vice-chairwoman Jean Thompson said: "One thing that she did was to make us aware that we couldn't just sit in our comfortable Morningside location and assume that in Morningside everybody's all right. She made us very aware of the people who were not all right, people who had problems, who had disabilities, people who needed help.

"She was just amazing, it's a tremendous loss for the community. She was absolutely tireless in fighting for the rights of people who weren't very good at fighting for their own rights."

Having spent so much of her life in hospital, Mrs Wong also campaigned on health issues, and helped to run the Simulated Patient Programme, which teaches young doctors how to deal compassionately with their patients.

Mrs Wong, who was also known as Susie, was an active member of the support group Parents of Autism Spectrum Disorder Adults, offering a sympathetic ear and advice to others in her own situation. The organisation's director, Denis Rowley, said: "She was constantly available on the phone for other people and I think that's one of the things that people who remember Susie remember most, her constant availability to let people have their moans and their laughs and cries together."

Her sister, Judith Renilson, said she was immensely proud of Susan: "She would talk to anybody, she loved listening to people.

"Considering her disabilities, she was incredible, she was a very strong-minded person."

She loved to spend time at Canty Bay in East Lothian, where she had passed her childhood summer holidays. She relaxed by listening to Radio 4, audio books and music, and loved to dance, particularly to jive. Mrs Wong also loved nature and animals, and was immensely fond of her rescue dog, Hamish.

She died at her Balcarres Street home on August 14, shortly after becoming ill with suspected lymphoma.