Veteran Actress Known as 'Royal Worker' Leung Oi Passes Away at 87; Refused Chemotherapy After Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis Last Year

Veteran actress Leung Oi, nicknamed the 'Royal Worker,' was reported to have passed away on July 16 at the age of 87. It is understood that she died from illness on July 8 at a nursing home in Shenzhen, and her family has already arranged her funeral in a low-key manner. Leung Oi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and, unwilling to endure the suffering brought by chemotherapy, chose to reject treatment, deciding to 'coexist with cancer' and face the end of life with a calm mindset. After falling ill, her weight dropped to less than 70 pounds, and her body became increasingly weak, eventually leading her to be cared for at a nursing home in Shenzhen.

During her lifetime, she was hospitalized several times due to heart problems and had already signed a 'Do Not Resuscitate' consent form, also expressing her wish to donate her body for medical purposes after her death. She once calmly stated: 'When the time comes, I will leave. People should accept their fate. At an old age, the most important thing is to pass comfortably and not take up someone else's place.' After the news broke, her friend Yeung Siu-hung posted a tribute: 'This is the last time I see you. Rest in peace, hope we can work together again in the next life.'

Leung Oi spent over half a century in the entertainment industry, performing in countless classic TV dramas and movies, and worked with many superstars including Liza Wang, Chow Yun-fat, and Stephen Chow. Although she mostly played supporting roles, she was able to vividly portray the images of maids, workers, housekeepers, and other ordinary people, earning her the title of 'Royal Worker' and making her one of Hong Kong's most iconic 'character actors.' With her professional dedication and solid acting skills, she left a deep impression on audiences even with limited screen time, securing her a place in the golden era of Hong Kong dramas.

However, Leung Oi's real life was even more tumultuous than the dramas she starred in. She was abandoned by her biological parents as a child, later becoming an adopted daughter. Unable to bear the abuse she suffered, she became independent at just 12 years old. After entering the entertainment industry, she married renowned director Tso Ke, but the 1967 Hong Kong riots dealt a blow to her husband's career and plunged the family into financial hardship, eventually forcing the whole family to immigrate to Canada for a new start. Unfortunately, she suffered the successive loss of her husband and of her son, who died suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition, enduring the heartache of outliving her children. In her later years, she chose to return to Hong Kong to live alone, politely declining her grandson's invitation to live together in Canada, preferring to maintain her familiar lifestyle. It wasn't until her pancreatic cancer diagnosis last year that she finally moved into a nursing home in Shenzhen, where she enjoyed her final years.

Source: ONCC