Professor Michael Cheung is Director of the Cardiology Department at the RCH. An incredibly accomplished clinician and researcher, Michael is also a Professorial Fellow at University of Melbourne and Leader of the Heart Research Group at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.
Why are you passionate about your work?
Providing excellent clinical care in an organisation that has the same goal is the reason many of us work at the RCH. We should not forget that the way that we interact with families and children has a major impact on their experience of the hospital and their ability to cope with the stresses of a sick child. Our challenge of helping families and patients deal with this needs a flexible way of communication which continually assesses and adapts to their understanding.
How does philanthropy support your work?
Philanthropy provides an opportunity for us to push the boundaries of our work. I think that philanthropy should not be used primarily to increase the capacity of our system but rather to test new practices and strategies to develop the services we provide.
Who is the most influential person in your life?
In terms of clinical cardiology and research, my former boss at Sick Kids in Toronto and mentor Professor Andrew Redington. Personally, definitely my mum and my wife.
What is your favourite holiday memory?
Watching my kids learn how to ski.
What book are you reading right now?
I’m usually reading a few at the same time. I just finished ‘Heart of Darkness’ by Joseph Conrad which was a bit weird. I’m part way through ‘How to be Good’ by Nick Hornby – very funny. I’m also reading ‘Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialised World’ by David Epstein.