PATRICK Chong may be the CEO of Luxasia Group which brings in luxury beauty lines such as Creme de la Mer and Serge Lutens, but he's one who knows first hand the transience of youthful beauty.
This is shown through his charitable work with St Joseph's, a home and a hospice that provides care for the elderly and the terminally ill. Refreshingly, his work with them is not some vanity project or pet cause - more than 10 years ago, one of his relatives became terminally ill with cancer, and the experience affected him profoundly. Soon after, he adopted St Joseph's, and what began as a smaller project has now blossomed into a relationship of unwavering commitment.
'When you see the home, you see that the world of difference they make is really quite wonderful,' says Mr Chong. 'People who are terminally ill are in very difficult situations, and they are given a sense of comfort and serenity by the home and their caretakers there.'
Twice a year, Mr Chong takes his staff to the home, where they entertain and interact with the residents before serving and eating lunch with them. He believes that there are two beneficiaries in this arrangement: the home, and his staff.
'In your youth, you may be uncomfortable with people who are in the same situation as those in the home. When I was young, I knew I was,' he says. 'While the initial reaction for our young staff was discomfort, they became more at ease with the residents when they made a connection with them. Then they saw a sense of purpose in what they were doing. Helping the home builds a culture among our staff in where they feel that helping the less privileged can make such a difference. It is also my hope that this readies them for when their parents and relatives get older.'
Besides the time that Mr Chong and his staff give to St Joseph's, he has also donated a multitude of equipment over the years, such as CCTV cameras, wheelchairs and vans. He also decided to construct a garden on the property.
'I have worked very closely with them, responding to their specific needs and requests. For example, when support began to slow down, they told us they needed wheelchairs, and we provided them. To be part of the journey of the organisation and its growth is very rewarding,' he says. 'While there is nothing wrong with just writing a cheque, I prefer to see results. There is more satisfaction for both St Joseph's and my staff, who I hope feels at home there. Our managers know the sisters and everyone knows everyone.'
Mr Chong is also keenly aware of the reciprocal nature of charity work. One example is Happy Hands, a project in where he sponsored 15 individuals in the Philippines to become certified spa therapists.
'In the future, we want to expand to other countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China,' he says. Just like the work done with St Joseph's benefits his staff, he believes that Happy Hands also has the potential to improve the industry he works in.
'It is all interrelated,' he says. 'While training them for life is the most important part of Happy Hands - many of them now have jobs overseas - the largest restrictions for the spa and salon business is the lack of trained therapists to do massages and facials. One day, who knows, one of them might become the spa director of a hotel, and they will hopefully call us.'
This article was first published in The Business Times on December 19, 2008.
