Faculty of ArtThe faculty, staff, and students of the Asian Canadian and Asian Migration Studies Program are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Madeline H. Chung on August 22, 2021. Dr. Chung was the first female Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in BC, and the first of Chinese descent. After arriving in Vancouver in the mid-1950s, a time when Chinese still faced significant racial discrimination, she faced numerous obstacles in her professional and academic career. However, patients flocked to her care, especially Chinese and other immigrant women who could not speak English.
By the time she retired, Dr. Chung had delivered over 7200 babies – known affectionately as “Chung babies” — and her impact on families and communities across BC has been immense. Dr. Chung was a revered community leader who received many awards and honours. Along with her husband, she donated the Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection, one of the premiere archival collections on Chinese Canadian history, to the UBC Library in 1999.
More information about Dr. Chung’s extraordinary life can be found in this feature article in Vancouver Sun: Dr. Madeline Chung: B.C.’s first female obstetrician’s caring patience for patients.
ACAM would like to extend our sincere condolences to Dr. Chung’s family and friends. She is deeply missed.
