Our very own Superhero, Andrew Lupton, a.k.a. Luppy
- jeevan sanghhh
- 3 days ago
- 14 min read
WELCOME
On behalf of the Directors, we would like to welcome you to the latest issue of your Newsletter, M.E.F. The cooler months are rolling in but Birthday Happiness Asia is still hot. Our Mission to deliver birthday happiness to as many less fortunate as possible continues. With the growing number of children slipping below the poverty line with many families having to make the difficult choice to eat less or buy less nourishing food for their children.
These children can easily slip between the cracks and become despondent. They need the joy of birthday happiness to raise their horizons. The Family gives these children hope and a glimpse of a better future.
We offer so much more than a joyous and memorable birthday party but our Family places the gift of hope in their hearts. As Samuel Smiles wrote “Hope is the companion of power, and mother of success; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles.”
BIRTHDAY HAPPINESS ASIA’S OWN SUPER HERO
As an organisation we are blessed with individual Family Members who love and care for the many children who need birthday happiness and give them hope that they will use the memory and happiness of their birthday party to achieve so much in the future. They and their families will benefit and so will Hong Kong society with happier young citizens.
Comic books have many super heroes who are represented by our brilliant Cosplayers, Gregg, Jaden and Kiryu. However, we have our own Super Hero, Andrew Lupton, aka Luppy. Luppy suffered from the nasty scourge of cancer that claimed our Co-Founder, Marilou. Out of her suffering the concept of Birthday Happiness was created.
Luppy is a survivor who battled his cancer bravely with help from his family and his love for children. Luppy decided to hike the West Highland Way, the hard way. The Hike begins just outside Glasgow, Scotland and ends at the foothills of Mount Nevis. It is a gruelling 154 kilometres with highest point is Kinlochleven which is nearly 600 metres high.
Our very own Super Hero embarked on this Hike with his two sons and they carried everything they needed for the Hike on their backs, including their tent. The Hard Way. No easy option of staying in hostels each night but pitching the tent and roughing it despite the rain and mud.
Luppy was followed all the way on our Instagram and our website. Never one to do things easy, Luppy aimed to raise HK$54,000 and raised over 15% of that before he started.
As a sincere thanks to Luppy, the Directors will have a Welcome Home/ Celebration of Luppy’s achievements at various events in November. Full details will follow shortly. Come celebrate with our very own Super Hero.
REQUEST FOR DONATIONS
The major cost of any joyous party are the presents we give to the Celebrants as a remembrance of when their special day was acknowledged and celebrated. Marilou insisted that no gift should promote violence, sexism or racism and must be brand new. If there are 10 Celebrants at a joyous party, the cost can be over HK$3,000.
If any Family Member wishes to donate suitable gifts, that we can give as gifts, we and the Celebrants will truly appreciate it. We will pick up if required.
Also, as we deliver more joyous parties per week we need more good quality decorations like balloons, banners etc. Again, we will pick up if required.
Please contact us if you can help us in with key elements of any joyous parties, especially gifts. Thank you.
JOYOUS PARTIES IN AUGUST
Traditionally the month of August is considered a holiday month with people going on well deserved holiday. Despite this we delivered birthday happiness at five joyous parties, with one at a new Partnering Organisation.
Our first joyous party of the summer season was the rescheduled joyous party from the previous month because the typhoon. It hit Hong Kong the day of the joyous party.
The joyous party was blessed with many Family Members helping to deliver birthday happiness to Celebrants who might be physically adults but have a glorious mental age on average of about 10.
Our Cake Maestro, Neetu provided a suitable yummy creation for the Celebrants to enjoy but could not make it to the joyous party. Kayee from Yo! Face Painting Studio performed her magic with her brushes and was proving so popular with the Celebrants and their Guests.
Chadi, our Family Member who now studies at Liverpool University ensured that her visit to see her grandparents coincided it with this joyous party. You can see her video report on our Instagram page at:
Also, the Social Worker, Cosette Chan sent photos and videos. Please go to:
A great and wonderful joyous party that will live long in the memories of so many people here and abroad.
Our next joyous party saw us return to the Fu Hung / Hin Dip Centre in Aberdeen. As their Centre is too small to host a joyous party, Fu Hung again rented out the Hall on the ground floor of the building their Centre is located in. The Team Leader was Jenny and she was ably assisted by many Family Members who were joined by staff from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Every year staff members look for community work opportunities.
There were 21 Celebrants ranging from 2 to 6 years old. There were 36 Guests, hence the need to rent a bigger hall! The Participants enjoyed Jenny’s Zoo Discovery, Paper Planes and Musical Statute. All the time, the Participants were going up to Suet’s table for her to paint their faces and arms. The highlight of the joyous party was when our Cake Maestro, Bharti’s yummy cake was brought in by Cosplayer Kiryu, aka Superman. The yummy creation was so good that Kiryu wrote later “Holding that cake, it felt like today’s my own birthday.”
More videos and photos can be seen on Kiryu’s Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/cosplaymodelkiryu/?hl=en
Our Cake Maestro, Bharti later wrote this report for you with emojis:
“The Birthday Happiness 🥳 Asia party at 🏢 Fu Hong Society 🦸♂ was a heartwarming 🎉 celebration filled with 🎈 laughter, games, and 🧁 vibrant energy. Children were 🤩 thrilled by a 🦸♂ surprise visit from 🕶 a Superman cosplayer Kiryu, 🎂 perfectly matched by 🍰 a spectacular Superman-themed 🎨 cake crafted by 👩🍳 Cake maestro Bharti. 🦸♂ The fun continued 🐾 with lively zoo-themed 🐒 games and a 🏃♂ ball race that had everyone cheering. 🦖 A volunteer dressed 🧍♀ up as a 🐉 dinosaur kept the 👧 kids entertained with 🗣 roars and giggles. 🙌 Volunteers, parents, and 🎁 guests created a 🎊 magical experience, ending 🎶 with cake, gifts, 🧸 and unforgettable smiles 😛.”
Our next joyous party was in the Hans Andersen Club in Wong Tai Sin. The Centre is so difficult to find that the O.I.C., Fonnie had to meet us at the MTR Station and act as our Guide to the Venue.
The joyous party was led by Edward and had a wonderful Team of Family Members assisting him in delivering a truly joyous party that will live long in the memory. Our Cake Maestro, Radhika made a yummy cake and sponsored the food in remembrance of her father, Shankar who is now resting in Paradise.
A new Family Member, Gwen wrote the following report:
“After a week of thunderstorms and black rain, the sun returned on 16 August for a joyful celebration at Hans Anderson Club’s Wong Tai Sin Centre.
The joyous party for 10 Celebrants began with birthday songs in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, followed by lively games like musical chairs and limbo dance. Celebrants and Guests enjoyed face painting by Joyce from Yo! Face Painting Studio while snacking on sweets and chocolates. Each Celebrant received birthday gifts including a book, in harmony with the HAC’s initiative of promoting reading culture among children.
The highlight of the day was Radhika’s homemade two-tier cake, honoring her late father Shankar Rao, who hosted parties for underprivileged children. Her generosity extended to the delicious food and drinks that kept everyone energised.
It was a day where kindness and celebration came together. Special thanks to Radhika, social workers Fonnie and Jojo, and all the volunteers who made this joyous party so memorable.”
For photos of the joyous party provided by JoJo please visit:
Our next joyous party was in a new Partnering Organisation, the HKSKH Holy Carpenter Hospice and Bereavement Service. The Centre helps low-income families who have had a recent passing of a loved one. Originally the joyous party was meant to be in their Centre in Kowloon City but proved to be very popular and was moved to a bigger Venue in a large room in HKSKH All Saints’ Cathedral in Mong Kok.
Our Face Painter was Fancy who really enjoyed the joyous party despite being so busy with demands for her magical skills. Our Cake Maestro, Bharti made another yummy creation and here is her report with emojis:
“🎉 The Birthday Happiness Asia party held on 23rd August 2025 was a heartwarming celebration. Hosted in collaboration with HKSKH Holy Carpenter Church Hospice and Bereavement Service, the event brought together families and volunteers for a magical morning. A special highlight was the enchanting castle-themed birthday cake lovingly prepared by Bharti 🎂🏰, which added a fairytale touch to the celebration. Among the joyful moments, Marlou’s birthday was also celebrated with warmth and cheer 🎈, making the day even more memorable 💖. This celebration was especially meaningful for children who had lost a loved one in the past year, with a dedicated memory corner where they could honor those still close to their hearts 🌟. From musical chairs to the hot potato game, the children were fully engaged 🪑🥔, and the multilingual birthday song added a beautiful cultural touch 🎶. The event concluded with a delicious spread 🍱 and thoughtful gift presentations 🎁 — a true celebration of love, resilience, and community ❤.”
Our last joyous party in August saw us return to Love21. This was a memorable joyous party as it was first time that our new Team Leader, Jo led a joyous party. There were 11 Celebrants ranging in age from 12 to 40, including Jacky who had a smile as big as Victoria Harbour and went round all the Volunteers shaking their hands thanking them for coming and that we were doing a great job. A man with the beautiful childlike mentality, like all the rest of the Celebrants.
Jo did a great job leading the joyous party and it was agreed that he would lead the joyous party in Cantonese as nearly all the Celebrants have poor English skills. Jo led a wonderful group of Family Members and the Face Painter, Ellen. The yummy creation was made by Jeremy who couldn’t attend as his 2 dogs were fighting and he had to keep them apart all weekend. He asked his young son, Kiran to attend the joyous party as a way of showing him that there are so many children less fortunate than him. After the games were played, Kiran brought the yummy cake in the room to great joy.
See wrote the following report:
“Hello everyone! I’m a volunteer from Birthday Happiness Asia and I’m See. Our organization organizes birthday parties for less fortunate children, allowing them to create lifelong memories. We recently held a birthday party on 24 August for a group of friends with special needs, whose birthdays were in August. In addition to setting up the venue, our volunteers also prepared games like music chairs, scavenger hunt and balloon volleyball.
I feel that perhaps in Hong Kong’s thriving material life, we often forget the simplest joy. Seeing the birthday celebrated with simple balloons, our friends had so much fun, the laughter filling the entire venue. Besides our friends, their parents, as their daily caregivers undoubtedly face considerable pressure. Seeing them enjoying themselves at a birthday party brought me deep satisfaction.
Thank you to volunteer Kiran and his father for preparing a beautiful handmade cake for our friends, which really brought the party to a climax. Seeing the happy smiles on our participants’ faces after receiving the gifts at the end, I felt a sense of responsibility to bring more joy to those less fortunate. Finally, we were grateful to have artist Liang for creating beautiful face paintings for our friends.
We believe these birthday parties will bring unforgettable memories to everyone. Here I would like to quote what Edward told us that day, ‘These things don’t require a lot of money, but they do require a lot of love.’ Time and season flies, but the need of celebrating birthdays and creating joy remains. We hope everyone will donate or participate in Birthday Happiness Asia to give children unforgettable childhood memories. Thank you.”
Each Celebrant got a suitable birthday gift with Jacky probably the happiest. Each mother also got a gift of a necklace sponsored by the Christian Noble Foundation.
Later she did a video report that can be seen on our Instagram. Also, the Social Worker, Cosette sent us a link to the photos taken by her at the joyous party. Please view at:
JOYOUS PARTIES IN SEPTEMBER
The first joyous party of the new month saw us return for the second time to the Yan Oi Tong Centre in rural Tuen Mun. This Centre serves families who live in wooden homes or converted animal barns. There was great anticipation by the ten Celebrants, their Guests, and the Family Members. They had heard from participants of the first joyous party what a great time they had and could not wait for the celebration to start. Some of the mothers even brought homemade food for everyone to enjoy. In fact, there was so much that even the Volunteers tucked into the delicious food.
The joyous party was led by Winnie with a team of Family Members who really enjoyed themselves. They included pupils from King George V School studying for their IB qualification. Part of the requirement of the course is to do social work in the community, and they were so glad they chose us as they had so much fun.
Winnie had old favourite game, Musical Chairs, and new games, Guess the Spy and Treasure Hunt — new fun games that added to the excitement. Radhika’s delicious chocolate-and-orange cake was appreciated by everyone, especially the Celebrants. Unfortunately, Radhika had to work and missed seeing all the delighted faces when the yummy cake was brought out.
The Celebrants loved the gifts they received from you. The sense of happiness when they got their gifts was heart-warming. A truly enjoyable and memorable joyous party that will be a lifelong memory.
For photos and videos of the joyous party provided by the Social Worker Clarence Tang, please visit:
The next day we were invited to deliver birthday happiness in the Lok Sin Tong Community Living Room in Sham Shui Po. This joyous party was led by our new Team Leader, Rachel. She did a magnificent job and seemed like she had been doing it for ages.
All ten Celebrants live in sub-divided homes or caged homes in the area. The oldest was Kin, celebrating his 16th birthday. He felt out of place among the younger Celebrants but was thrilled with his gift — a Toilet Golf Set!
Special mention must be made for Gwen’s auntie Kwok, who sponsored the food and drinks. The food was made by some of the mums in the Centre’s community kitchen. Also, Bharti made a beautiful two-layered cake that disappeared within minutes when served.
Here is Rachel’s report:
“The joyful party held on 14 September 2025 at the Sham Shui Po Community Living Room celebrated the birthdays of children and their families living in subdivided flats and caged homes in the area. Our heartfelt thanks go to Ms Kobe Yeung, who warmly guided us through the venue. The celebration was filled with laughter and joy from start to finish. Bharti’s homemade birthday cake was a centrepiece of the party, while Catherine from Yo! Face Painting Studio delighted the children with creative designs that gave them a chance to sparkle and play in new colours. With the help of Rachel, Edward, and all the volunteers, the kids and their families threw themselves wholeheartedly into the games — musical chairs, charades, and limbo — with remarkable energy. Highlights included celebrants cheering wildly as they squeezed under the limbo string, joyful volunteers and children forming a dancing ‘train,’ and the competitive spirit of musical chairs that had everyone on the edge of their seats. The lady volunteers from the Sham Shui Po Community Living Room prepared nourishing, freshly cooked food on the spot, which was shared by all the celebrants and their families. We also extend a heartfelt thank-you to Gwen’s auntie Kwok, who so kindly sponsored all the delicious food. Together, these warm and loving gestures truly filled both hearts and stomachs. We are deeply grateful to the many volunteers who gave their time and energy on a sunny Sunday afternoon — Aashi, Yoyo, Anthony, Eva, Zarra, Melanie, Kina, Alice, Gwen, Viveka, Nina, Xavier, James, Nichelle, Koyal, Diyanah, Purvi, Marley, Elizabeth, and James — adding so much love to this special occasion. The incredible turnout of volunteers showed just how many kind people are eager to support and care for the community. Thanks to everyone’s efforts, we created not only a memorable afternoon but also a true celebration of life and togetherness. We hope the children carry these joyful memories with them, and we look forward to many more shared moments of happiness in the future.”
Photos of the joyous party were provided by Social Worker Kobe at:
Our next joyous party was in Against Child Abuse. The Social Worker Mandy was concerned that with the typhoon we would have to cancel and that would have been disappointing for the Celebrants, their Guests and Family Members.
Despite the monsoon-like rain, all our Family Members displayed their commitment to deliver birthday happiness by turning up. The Celebrants and their Guests appreciated everyone’s efforts and were waiting patiently, some in the rain.
Our Family Member Eric wrote the following report about the joyous party:
“The joyous party in Against Child Abuse, on 20th September, was very meaningful. I enjoyed participating in it and took a lot of photos with happy scenes, which made me feel the joy of the celebrants. I think I am one of the celebrants too, as my birthday was in September also! The joyous party started with Kiryu cosplaying as Thor, who looked just like the movie character and was warmly welcomed by the celebrants. Gloria, from Yo! Face Painting Studio, did face and hand painting for the children. Many celebrants loved it and it made them so happy. The children were very engaged in games like musical chair, hot potatoes and the ‘yes / no’ game. When Thor brought and cut the cake, the celebrants all had smiles on their faces. The cake and lollipops were marvelous and delicious — thanks a lot for Cake Maestro Aisha’s creation. Also, the children enjoyed the food a lot, especially the chicken wings and salad — thanks to More Good HK for sponsoring that. Finally, I presented some presents to celebrants. I will never forget the smile on their faces when they received the presents.”
For photos of the joyous party, please view those kindly supplied by Mandy at:
Our last joyous party in September saw us return to Love21. This joyous party was led by our only male Team Leader, Jo. He was capably aided by his sister Cc. The joyous party started with great anticipation of a memorable time and our Family Members did not disappoint.
There were nine Celebrants attending, ranging in physical age from 17 to 30 + years old. They have a beautiful average mental age of about 10. All our Family did a great job but special mention must be made of Dina, who flew in from the Philippines to see her family and join the joyous party. Gloria from Yo! Face Painting Studio came for the first time to a joyous party and was in great demand with her skills. Also, our Cake Maestros Trinity and Shirley made a yummy birthday cake that everyone really enjoyed.
Christie Ghaw made a short video of the joyous party that can be seen on our website and social-media pages. James Chan wrote the following report for you:
“The Birthday Happiness Asia party on 28 September was like no other. Covered in balloons and decorations, the room emanated a strong sense of warmth, ready to hold anyone in its tight embrace. As the party progressed, it would be an understatement to say that the participants merely ‘warmed up’ to everyone. As I glanced at the table after the games, what I had mistaken for a piece of art was actually the birthday cake!?! Paired with each unforgettable gift, this dynamic duo shared a memory with the celebrants that they could never forget.”
For photos of the joyous party, please visit: https://www.bhasia.org/post/love21-28th-september-2025
FINAL THOUGHTS
When Birthday Happiness Asia started, many people could not see the value of a simple birthday party and dismissed the idea. It felt like Marilou was the only voice proclaiming the value of birthday happiness, but she persisted.
Now we have an ever-growing, dedicated Family who all care for those less fortunate than themselves — with some like Luppy going even further and giving everything they have despite suffering so many personal setbacks. Marilou thanks you from the bottom of her heart for making her dream a great success.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
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