When Fok Mei-ling's son was born in 1991, he was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy - a rare genetic disorder. She was told he may not live past his first birthday.

"Eating was not possible, movement was not possible, and of course, breathing, because all voluntary muscles are affected. But I didn't quit," Fok said.

In 1998, Fok started the charity, FSMA - Families of SMA Foundation - after she found out that the disease need not be fatal given proper and aggressive medical intervention.

And her son is living proof. He is now 33-years-old.

FSMA is one of the 11 beneficiaries of this year's Operation Santa Claus (OSC), an annual charity campaign holding fundraising projects for over 35 years.

Fok, the charity's founder and chairperson, says they aim to relieve hardship and suffering faced by SMA patients and their families, and also raise awareness about SMA diseases.

"We do donate medical equipment, wheelchairs and bespoke baby buggies. We also give them free high nutritional supplements because these are very expensive," Fok said.

"We also lately have the drug delivery program... and we also offer some emergency home help service, part-time for parents who need some help at home."

Fok said she hoped more SMA patients could receive assistance.

"[There] is also an important project. It's called Mercy Medical Management. We send a multi-disciplinary medical team with the doctor on Zoom, registered nurses, technicians with medical equipment to go and do the tests."

"This is the programme exactly that Operation Santa Claus will help so that we can increase the number of patients that we help who are technology dependent for their survival," she said.

To find out more about Operation Santa Claus or to support the campaign, visit the Operation Santa Claus website.