Remembering MAMA LU: The Queen of Charity
There aren’t a lot of people in the world who could say with much conviction that they are willing to offer their lives to society; and even less people who can say that they did. Somehow, living for others is the hardest thing one person can do in a lifetime. Maybe it’s because some people do not have the means to extend a helping hand to others; or it is simply because most people are so wrapped in our selfish ideals that their judgment has already been clouded.
Thankfully though, there are still a few who defy their urges to serve themselves alone; who always consider others in anything they do; and work towards a better tomorrow for all. Thankfully, there was a person like, Mama Lu.
​
I. Lang Lu or Helen Lu has dedicated her whole life to the service of others. Known as Mama Lu, she has been dubbed as the “mother of all charity” for her service to the people of Canada that has spanned over 40 years. She has served as a volunteer for numerous charities and non-profit organizations, regardless of race or ethnic roots, language or beliefs, across the entire Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and beyond.
Her contributions to society are incomparable; her passion and heart, indescribable; her perseverance and determination, incredible. For all these, the entire Canadian community is grateful.
Mama Lu passed away on May 15, 2013 at the age of 82—just shortly before her May 27 birthday. After a courageous battle with cancer, she bid her final farewell to her family at her Willowdale home. She will be survived by her husband, Yu-Che, and children, Shirley and Henry.
​
As a tribute to this wonderful woman, we look back at the great yet humble life Mama Lu lived. We remember her struggles, her countless triumphs and the legacy she leaves not only to her family, but to the countless lives she has touched. We give honour to the life of a woman who has offered herself to others. We remember Mama Lu and the life she has dedicated for others.
Helen’s compassion for those in need started way back in her early years as a young girl in China. She grew up in a family who always had the desire to help others.
During the turbulent years of the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, she witnessed how her father continuously helped those afflicted with poverty. Although they were also affected by the turmoil, her father never ceased to provide food to those in need. At a young age, she was already exposed to the hardships of life and saw how helping out each other was crucial to surviving an often cruel world.
Moving to Taiwan, Helen started working for the society in where her family settled. She took up a job in Taiwan’s highway bureau, where she met her husband who also worked there.
Moving to Canada in 1969, Helen knew that as a Chinese immigrant, becoming an outcast was a big possibility for her and her family. However, instead of welcoming these thoughts, she shoved them away and instead worked on becoming a part of society. In belonging, she knew she could start being one with the people.
Trying to reach out and communicate with her co-Chinese immigrants, young Mama Lu started to learn Cantonese. Attributing her lack of English proficiency to her unemployment, she also studied English, attending government-sponsored classes. While English wasn’t really new to her—she has studied the language in China—she wanted to be fluent in it, thus she took up English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.
While working in different government offices, Mama Lu also started volunteering for different causes. Aside from continuously providing meals to the poor, she also joined the Parents Association of her daughter’s school as a volunteer—donating her time as well as money to the school.
“When we got into high school and we could take care of ourselves, that was when mom really started into the world of volunteering,” Mama Lu’s son, Henry, shared during an eulogy at his mother’s memorial service.
She also became a volunteer at the United Way of Greater Toronto, and was a member of the organization’s Walkathon Executive Committee since its inception in 1983. While working on the fundraising event, Helen was able to increase the participants from 300 to 15,000, raising as much as $468,000. It was also around this time that she got a job at Canadian Customs after being laid off from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.
“She really worked on any job she could to help the family,” Henry noted. Mama Lu always had focus and tenacity in everything she put her mind to. Working at Canadian Customs, she was as dedicated in her work as she was with her volunteer efforts.
“At work, I don’t talk much, so people think I’m not that friendly,” revealed Helen in the book ‘“Mama Lu” Queen of Charity.’ I told them that’s not true. I concentrate on what I’m doing. I work hard and I trust myself. “
Helen’s perseverance and commitment got her through 18 years of working in the government and continuous work with the community as a volunteer. It was the same spirit of humble persistence that got her through the rough years of her life, including a half body paralysis after a serious car accident that caused her to stop working.
“There was never a doubt that she couldn’t do anything or overcome any obstacle. She spent less time worrying and more time figuring out how to get things done” her son
recounted.
After undergoing self-therapy at home, Helen regained full awareness and use of her body. She returned to work as a volunteer for Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation.
Helen dedicated her time and effort to every endeavour she undertook, and Yee Hong was one of them. She always saw the elders and the volunteers at the centre as an extension of her family.
In “Mama Lu” Queen of Charity, she tells the story of her first day at Yee Hong, when Helen received a simple welcome note from Florence Wong, former CEO of Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, along with a month’s worth of food vouchers. She says she treasures the simple gesture of kindness extended to her.
She went on to serve as a volunteer for the organization up till the last days of her life. Even while she was volunteering for other communities, charities and organizations, she kept Yee Hong close to her heart.
Remembering all her efforts, Yee Hong Founder, Dr. Joseph Wong wanted to lift the spirits of the person who was once a leader of the community. On her death bed, Wong recounts telling Mama Lu that he’ll throw a big party for her once she leaves the hospital.
I told her that after she was discharged we’re going to have a party to celebrate her achievement in the community; to celebrate her achievement with Yee Hong,” Dr. Wong
shared during the eulogy service.
Sharing stories of how Helen touched people’s lives in the centre, Wong noted that it was
Lu’s life and energy that he will miss the most. “Helen brought life to every party,” he said.
“It is fitting for the family of Yee Hong to honour her—somebody that we have worked with, ever since day one, to realize the dream of Yee Hong. She has been a form of energy. She
touched every single one of us.”
Serving the Yee Hong Community for the rest of her years, Mama Lu went on to become
one of the Founding Members of the Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation Board
of Directors. She has helped the community raise funds for projects, lobby for increased
government allotments and grow as a community.
For all her efforts, a community meeting room at the centre, as well as a dedication plaque was offered in memory of Lu. It serves as a tribute and a reminder of all her works and efforts for the foundation.
Helen didn’t stop her volunteer work with Yee Hong. She knew she could help different
advocacies and efforts, across different races and languages. She has worked with the
community all her life; it has alreay become a part of who she is.
Aside from volunteering for Yee Hong, Helen also became one of the Founding Directors of the Chinese-Canadian Council of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. While with the organization, she held positions such as Vice President and Chairwoman of Fundraising. She was also the brain behind the first ever Sing for Your Heart Gala, which has now become a major annual fundraising event in the Chinese community.
She was also a volunteer for the Elizabeth Lue Bone Marrow Foundation, helping raise funds to help find compatible donors for a number of patients. Her efforts with the organization led to over 17,000 potential bone marrow donors of Chinese descent registered with the Canadian Red Cross.
She also assisted in raising funds for victims of natural disasters all over the world, including the 1991 floods in China, the 1992 Somalia famine relief efforts, the 1998 North
Korea famine relief and the 1999 earthquake relief for Taiwan.
Mama Lu spent over 30 years of her life for the service of others. And although her body
went weak, her heart and determination grew stronger. Her love for what she was doing was seen in every task she performed. It energized her to move forward.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with her on many projects that include political campaigns, community organizing and charitable events,” Thomas U of the Federation of Chinese Canadians in Scarborough (FCCS), shared in the service. “Even though I’m 20 years younger than she is, I find it hard to keep up with her, with all her energy.”
Wong also noted that equality was something Mama Lu strongly fought for. She became
very involved in politics for the very reason that she wanted acceptance and inclusiveness in the Canadian society. Being a multi-cultural country, Helen pushed for equal rights for everybody, especially the Chinese community.
“She felt it was important for the Chinese community to have a bigger say, a bigger role
in politics. That motivated her to be active in politics,” added Wong, who also joined Helen in FCCS since 1985.
She also had her charities and organizations in her mind all the time. Her son, Henry, recounted that Mama Lu was always on the phone, even during dinner. This showed how
much she cared, not only for the causes she fought for, but also for the people she was
affecting.
“[Her co-workers] would mention that ‘you are always in good hands’ [with her],” shared
Henry Lu. “After a long day of working with her, she always made sure that the volunteers
have something to eat; she always made sure that the volunteers had a ride home. And that they were happy—that was very important to her.”
Neil Tait, a Member of the Board of Directors for the Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation, remembers her friend’s hugs and smiles the most.
“We always had a hug. But every time we had a hug it cost me 10 tickets [laughs],” Tait remembered of his friend. “[Helen’s face] will be a face that you will never forget. Because no matter how bad you’re feeling or how good you’re feeling, there’s this one face that was
always smiling: that was Helen.”
Tait also recounted how her friend would be reaching out to people—every single person
she knew. “She was an inspiration to us all,” he added.
Helen went on to serve and support other causes such as the Daily Bread Food Bank, the
Hospital for Sick Children, the Canadian Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registration and Cherish Integrated Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities . She has also received multiple awards and recognition for her works, including the Canadian Centennial Medal, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and the Order of Ontario.
With all of the great things Mama Lu has done for the GTA community, an outpour of love and support were shown during her funeral ceremony on May 26. The memorial service held at the Chapel Ridge Fueral Home at 10:30 a.m. and the “Celebration of Life” reception at the Yee Hong Centre Scarborough Finch at 1:30 p.m., were attended by her loving family, friends and co-workers, as well as people whose lives she has touched. The memorial service was also graced by some of the special people who were paying their respect to a woman who has changed the face of charity work in Canada.
“She’s a small lady but has a very powerful, very big personality,” noted Liberal MPP for Don Valley East and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Michael Coteau, as he spoke at the funeral service.
Mr. Coteau reminisced the times he shared with Helen while she was helping him with his campaign as the Liberal candidate. He noted how passionate she was with her work that at the age of 80 years old, she had more energy than a young man like him. He also took note of how much the people of GTA loved Mama Lu.
“I was so impressed by the love I see in everyone’s eyes as they were talking to her,” Mr. Coteau shared. “She was a very powerful, very strong, very loving person.” Also sharing his memories with the “Queen of Charity” was Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. The mayor noted how welcoming Helen was, noting how she would react with a “big surprise” every time she saw him. He also remembered how Mama Lu would have a way of “disarming” people and making them do things for her— things that were good and right, he added.
“Mama Lu was someone you couldn’t say no to,” Mayor Scarpitti claimed. “I get to meet a lot of people from many different communities and I can honestly say, I don’t think I have met anyone who has dedicated so much of her time and her life to the betterment of other people.”
The Prime Minister of Canada also sent his condolences to the family. Sending a letter of support to the family and gratitude for the many things Helen Lu has done for the entire nation, Stephen Harper noted that Helen’s works will never be forgotten.
“Loraine and I offer our heartfelt condolences to your family and Helen’s many friends and admirers,” the Prime Minister’s letter read. “Her leadership as a founding member of the Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation and contributions to numerous charitable and community causes benefited countless lives.”
Prime Minister Harper’s letter, as well as the many who have attended the funeral ceremony and have extended their love and support to the Lu family, prove how many people Mama Lu’s life has affected. She may have left us physically, but her work, passion and legacy will live on in each and every life she has touched.
