The HEROCARE (Holistic Empowerment in Radiation Oncology) programme, led by experts from the Department of Health Technology and Informatics and the Industrial Centre at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has achieved international acclaim. It recently received both the “Global Excellence Award” and “Impact Catalyst Award” at the 2025 International Sustainable Design Awards, demonstrating PolyU’s leadership in design-driven innovation that enhances healthcare experiences and treatment outcomes.
Since its launch, HEROCARE has utilised Hybrid Immersive Virtual Environment (HiVE) technology to integrate design, healthcare, and education, introducing a novel approach to paediatric cancer care. This approach enhances the physical and mental well-being of patients and their caregivers throughout the radiotherapy process. To date, HEROCARE has supported 64 families, including patients, caregivers, and siblings. It has also engaged over 400 PolyU students in co-design workshops, fostering empathy and human‑centred design thinking among the younger generation.
Early research findings have revealed that approximately 89% of participating paediatric cancer patients completed radiotherapy without anaesthesia, significantly higher than the baseline of 5% prior to the project’s implementation. Treatment process time was reduced by about 70%, saving around 45 hours per patient, while healthcare costs decreased by HK$370,000 per patient, amounting to over HK$10.1 million in total savings. These outcomes demonstrate HEROCARE’s success in merging empathetic design with clinical practice, delivering positive benefits to patients, families, and the healthcare system.
In November 2025, PolyU premiered its original short film “The Starless Boy.” Inspired by a true story, the film portrays the emotional journey of children with cancer and their families, highlighting how imagination, family support, and immersive pre-treatment preparation can help them bravely face the challenges of treatment. The event also featured a Community Impact Forum, where over 200 participants, including radiotherapy professionals, medical educators, and caregivers, to discuss the role of patient-centred care and design thinking in healthcare.
Looking ahead, HEROCARE plans to expand its collaborations with local and international partners, including medical physicists and radiation therapists, to create new clinical distraction tools enhancing comfort and safety during radiotherapy treatment. The PolyU team also aims to develop HEROCARE into a regional service and education platform, working with healthcare institutions in Indonesia and Canada to facilitate experience exchange. Additionally, the initiative is actively localising and enhancing its AI-guided reflection tool to help healthcare professionals improve their emotional literacy and capacity for empathy in practice, thereby systematically integrating humanistic care into medical workflows.
PolyU remains committed to advancing people‑centric, sustainable healthcare innovation, driving more innovative projects with both global vision and local care, and bringing a warmer and more hopeful treatment journey to paediatric cancer patients and their families.
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