Poesy Liang
Founder of Helping Angels. A Malaysian-Taiwanese artist, writer, poet, architectural interior designer, jeweller, entrepreneur, philanthropist and television personality who survived 3 spinal surgeries and battled paralysis caused by a rare case of benign tumour that kept recurring within her spinal cord (thoracic intradural meningioma).
Health history
Suffered from paraplegia at 17 (1992) due to acute thoracic intradural meningioma. Miraculously walked again after surgery in Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. Operated by neurosurgeons Mr. Chee and Dr. Selva. With 90% recovery Poesy was ballroom dancing and back on television by the time she turned 19 years old.
Same recurring conditions in the spine was discovered at age 28 (2003) with the tumour coiled around her spinal cord and paralysis striked again after the open surgery. Operated by neurosurgeon Dr. Richard Veerapen in Sunway Medical Centre. Major segments of the tumor were successfully extracted with some unavoidable damage at the spinal cord, significantly wedged remnants were still impossible to remove. Once again another miracle triumphed. Due to major loss of sensation and control, Poesy walks using her visual senses without having regained full sensation of her lower limbs, barely regained full bladder control, zero temperature sense on her right lower limb and minimal joint position sense (JPS) on her left lower limb.
In order to tackle the rest of the tumours for good, 2006 Poesy underwent a Cyberknife surgery in Stanford University, by neurosurgeon Dr. John R. Adler, Jr, the inventor of the medical technology. So far no signs of tumour movement and regrowth has been detected.
Helping Angels
Helping Angels started as a global Facebook group to recruit volunteers to do welfare work in August 2007. Within the first year, the group organised over 90 official events in Malaysia and recruited over 1000 members globally. All activities are funded privately. The objectives of the group is to motivate career professionals to use their wisdom, influence, skills and time resources to help others. The group seeks to promote the donation of time and efforts, placing least importance to the giving in material and monetary sponsorship. Activities cover welfare of the underprivileged, education, homeless, old aged, Animal Rescue and rehoming, and life-coaching. To date the volunteer movement has spread its' wings to exist in Taiwan and Bangkok.
Thursday Tutoring Program was established since September 27, 2007 covering Precious Children's Home, Trinity Children Centre and Precious Youth Centre. Every Thursday evenings, 3 groups of Kuala Lumpur Klang Valley volunteering-members will clock in to give academic aid to the residents of these welfare homes.
Poesy's World
A private online magazine where the memberships are by invitation only. Here the author Poesy Liang writes daily since 1999. In 2005, the author closed the site to public viewing. Since Poesy's World shut its' doors to new registration, many existing memberships were also discontinued. In 2007 Helping Angels was created in its' place for Poesy's World readers.
Her education
Educated for eleven years between 1982â1992 till Form 5 in Bukit Bintang Girls' School (BBGS - a famed Kuala Lumpur primary and secondary school, now demolished and rebuilt as a luxury mall called Pavilion). Studied a Dip. Architecture Engineering in Federal Institute of Technology (1992-1995) despite being chronically bedridden during her first semester. Completed a Graduate Dip. Management and Executive MBA with Southern Cross University (1999 - 2001) in her attempts to leave the entertainment and television industry, in order to change the course of her ambitions. Partially completed an LLB, with the University of London, but abandoned her pursuit due to failing health (2002 - 2003).
Poesy studied Daylighting and Lighting Design in New York.
Arts
Trained classically from six years old in carving Chinese stone seal, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese landscape painting, Chinese watercolours, piano and ballet.
Probability of 1 today = 1000 tomorrows.
Half a mistake a hundred sorrows.
Time consistently brims up choices.
To be made among clanging noises.
No sure win situation?
1% inspiration 99% perspiration.
Every angle lends a separate hue of day.
A colorless debt it cannot repay.
Visions improve with quiet reflection.
Complaints regrets define incomprehension.
Churn the secular knowledge one borrows.
Todays are infinite spectrum of tomorrows.
Reflection of Today
poem by Poesy
Current
Despite leaving the entertainment limelight, she continues to make headlines with her survival stories of overcoming paralysis twice and the various philanthropic causes she later spearheaded through Helping Angels. 2008 sees an endorsement for a Japanese luxury skincare SKII campaign of 'Commitment to Compassion'(Malaysia & Singapore) as 'Founder of Helping Angels'.
- Interior and product designer.
- Principal designer for jewellery collection POEZ.
- Founder of Helping Angels.
- Chinese calligraphist and painter.
- Author of Poesy's World.
Poesy travels and based herself out of Kuala Lumpur near her parents. They have family in Singapore, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Europe and the USA.
She has travelled with work and lived in many countries. Single, never been married.
Private life
Kuala Lumpur, born July 31 1975, to father Leong Khai Kwan, a Malaysian Chinese of Cantonese descent and mother Chuang Mei Yin, a Taiwanese of Hakka descent. Liang Tse Chung, older brother and Alice Lee, sister-in-law. Poesy was discovered at the age of 14 to star in a Levi's Strauss television commercial as the 501 girl for Malaysia and Singapore. Instantly her life took a turn and she appeared in numerous media for many other advertisements and hosted television programs till she decided to quit the scene 12 years later.
Poesy's mother is an acupuncturist and traditional herbalist, and was also trained in western medicine in midwifery. It was said that it made the big difference during Poesy's rehabilitation from paralysis to have had the care of a mother who specialised in Eastern cures.
Due to her early exposure to the working world having grown up on film sets and coming from a small family, it was said that she longed for a big family environment. From the age of 16, her most beloved brother left to the USA and was away for 17 years. Her solitude led her to spend time pursuing the arts. During her television years, Poesy faced social difficulties and it resulted in self-isolation and her academic pursuits. Her years in the media world tormented her which led to the reinvention of her life.
As shown in some of her artwork, Poesy was a melancholic child. Her family lost their financial comfort in the early 80s. Through her growing years, Poesy watched her parents through many hardships and it made a great impact on her. Despite difficulties, her father persevered her under the best artistic and cultural training with the guidance of masters, who were among his talented panel of friends. She made the decision to continue pursuing her work in the media industry in order to help with the family's circumstances, and sacrificed her continued pursuit of an architectural degree after the diploma. The life in television media led her into depression by the time she was 22 years old.
There has been hearsay of romantic links to notable personalities, but none confirmed. Poesy has many mentors and benefactors while she leads a very private life. Even in her journals, she very rarely mention names of people.
As a teenager, Poesy attended church and Sunday bible school. Due to her alternative lifestyle as a teenage television personality, she faced difficulty in the Christian community. Later she continued her spiritual studies out of church. At 30, she ventured to study Tibetan Buddhism with Dagpo Lama Rinpoche. She also met with many wise masters, including Jetsun Pema. Poesy remains neutral to all religion, maintaining her faithful belief in altruism and balanced peace.
She spends her free time pursuing new artistic skills and travels, while she dedicates a calling towards philanthropy.
Sources
- Online group finds a way to give back to the community by Tan Ju Eng
- More about Poesy
- Googled results of Poesy's news
- New Mall, Old School: The Pavilion and the Demolition of BBGS by Gabrielle Low
- Report from a participant of the Young Leadership International
- POEZ Jewellers
- SK-II Nona TV3 Interview of Poesy Liang, Founder of Helping Angels
- Helping Angels Official Website, Work in Progress
- Helping Angels Facebook Group
- The Asian Conference of Neurological Surgeons
- Sunway Medical Centre
- Resolving Conflict in Healthcare
- Medical Defence Malaysia
- Poesy in Motion Dare Magazine Oct 2004 Interview
- The Star November 16, 2005 Interview
- The Star November 19, 2005 Interview
- The Star March 14, 2008 Interview
- Share your Tip for a Great Blog
- The Girl Who Just Wouldn't Give Up
- Lending A Helping Hand
- Info on Precious Children's Home
- Info onTrinity Children Centre
- Poesy's World
- Accuray, Inc.: A Neurosurgical Business Case Study by John R. Adler, Jr. MD.