Opal Wong, MS Ed., operates the AHA Center for Awakening Healthy Awareness, working with children and adults suffering from severe pain. She also conducts several Brain Gym workshops for teachers and others across the state. Wong uses the techniques of Brain Gym to help her students focus and encourages them to drink water, move around and then set a goal for the day. The 90-year-old Wong, a certified Brain Gym trainer, says, “The whole point of life is to keep learning; you’re never too old to learn.”

            Wong was the first of seven siblings born after her family moved to Zanesville, Ohio, from China in 1932. Her two eldest sisters, Amy Lee and Shun Kam Lee, were left with their grandmother in Asia. The oldest was taken as a political prisoner by the Communist Chinese during the Cultural Revolution, but eventually migrated to the United States and became a physician.

            Wong shares, “Sister Dr. Amy Lee was sentenced and imprisoned for 14 years and Shun Kam Lee, the next sister, escaped to Hong Kong as a refugee with Amy’s three young sons, and they were allowed to stay in Hong Kong since the boy’s father had found his way out of China and by a miracle, she had a connection with an influential, wealthy doctor who paid money to allow him to stay in Hong Kong. Soon after that time, China put up the fence, and then no one was allowed to go to Hong Kong, so the boys and my sister and brother-in-law were lucky!”

            After 49 years, Wong met her eldest sister for the first time in 1980. Her greatest impression was how during her sister’s 14-year sentence of hard labor, she was also forced to care for other prisoners. Although it was such a difficult time, her sister spoke a lot about the joy she gained from helping others. Her sister had no medicine to administer those she cared for; she could only teach people to exercise and maintain a thankful attitude.

            Wong spent 37 years as a U.S. elementary school teacher. Retiring in 1994, she then returned to the local schools as a mentor, helping children with learning disabilities and those considered reluctant learners. “Teachers are not always aware of what can be done to promote learning and good health. They are too busy teaching to do the research. So that’s what I do,” she advises.

            Brain Gym is a brain-based learning activity developed by Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D., an educational therapist, that helps make learning easier and fun. It emphasizes the use of music, art and movement to help youngsters learn.

Location: 4111 Okemos Rd., Ste.102, Okemos. Appointments can be made in person from noon to 4:30 p.m., Tues. through Thur.