Love Never Fails
MediaCorp programme hosts Pornsak, 钟情 and 郭亮 and chef Eric Teo with a group of volunteers prepared a sumptuous birthday banquet for our 100-year-old resident, Mdm Chong Foong Lun 钟红兰.
I was excited to recently read about the life history of orthopedic surgeon Dr Paul Wilson Brand (July 17, 1914 – July 8, 2003), a world renowned expert in leprosy. Dr Brand was a pioneer in studying the causes of leprosy and how leprosy sufferers could be helped.
Dr Brand first encountered leprosy when he met scores of beggars with leprosy outside an Indian hospital where he worked in the 1960s. When he asked why these people who were obviously ill and deformed were not treated at the local hospital, he was told there was not only no cure for the dreaded condition but that all the other patients would flee and never consider being in the same hospital.
Dr Brand's shock and despair of how they were excluded and despised led him to found a leprosy village. Later, he started a hospital where he researched and helped many whom others saw as 'nobodies' and 'untouchables'.
He and his wife served for many years working with more than 15 million victims of leprosy, researching new medical treatments for them. He even helped train and find jobs for those who are less severe.
Though he was initially scoffed at for labouring in this unpopular field of work, Dr Brand's selfless sacrifices and persistence earned him worldwide recognition and respect.
Talking about selfless doctors who make a difference, I recall how a group of Singaporean doctors put aside their overwhelming work schedule and joined me in a project to persuade a local insurance provider to consider medical insurance for a group of persons born with congenital illnesses before March 1 2013 (note: MOH has thankfully managed to ensure all newborns with congenital illnesses after this date are now covered under MediShield). It seems to us that it was not right and unjust for those born earlier not to have any form of basic health insurance coverage. And we were prepared to make this right together.
At another occasion last week, I was also deeply moved by the loving responses of several other doctors who approached me to help their patients with job training and placement. This was after I gave a talk about the developments in the special needs sector in the last decade in Singapore.
These are certainly doctors who walk many extra miles; doctors who bother not only with their patients' health conditions but also their whole life outcomes.
But doctors and others in the medical profession are not the only ones making a difference.
Many in my constituency where I serve as an MP watched the heartwarming programme, "The Joy Truck" ("快乐速递) on June 4 produced by Jia-Yi and hosted by popular TV hosts - Pornsak , 钟情 and 郭亮. Celebrity chef Eric Teo with a group of volunteers prepared a sumptuous birthday banquet celebrations for our 100-year-old resident, Mdm Chong Foong Lun钟红兰.
Mdm Chong and the guests all of whom are tenants of the rental block in the vicinity and members of the PEACE-Connect Seniors Activity Centre led by Mrs Lucy Tan. They were so awed by the attention that the whole neighborhood was buzzing with news of the programme and TV stars who came.
It was a banquet that turned out to be unforgettable. Mdm Chong felt unwell and was rushed to the hospital the next day, where she passed away a day later.
But, there is another untold heartwarming story behind this.
Mdm Chong had been receiving special love and attention from PeaceConnect SAC for years despite her living alone in her rental flat. She actively participates in senior activities and meals at PeaceConnect daily and is well loved.
On the day that she was unwell after the birthday banquet, community volunteers and doctors from St Andrews Mission Hospital who were giving free medical treatment at the void deck downstairs , were informed by her neighbours.
The frail yet spunky woman was dressed up by her PeaceConnect friends and then sent to the hospital in an ambulance by her many friends. Before she left home, she gave us instructions to lock the windows securely and look after her money and possessions properly.
At her funeral wake, despite her living alone when she was alive, there were many young and old volunteers and friends who came to pay their last respects. Some of them are youth befriended from the nearby Hope Centre who regularly wheelchair her to our CC's Breakfasts with Love programme.
At the eulogy that I was asked to give, I shared about the lesson of unconditional love that I learnt and witnessed others have showered on Mdm Chong's life. Mdm Chong was not alone in her last lap of life; she was amongst friends and loved ones.
Mdm Chong and the community of love who surrounds her taught us how little acts of kindnesses, that may appear insignificant and unimportant, make a real difference. We can do with more of such in our society, especially one that is rapidly populated by more frail and elderly - both at personal and systemic levels.
Someone once told me in despair that his life is like serving at a complaints' counter of an organization. Most people come to the counter with only complaints and very few, if any, say anything positive or think of thanking you when things work out.
After hearing about only negative things the whole day, one runs the risk of believing that there is nothing good about the product or organisation one is serving in. He then lamented about the need to pause, ponder and still marvel at the good things that are still happening around.
This week, I did just that – marvel at the good that still prevails.
In my religion, it was said that out of the three important elements of faith, hope and love, the greatest is love.
Indeed, love never fails. Here's wishing we see even more love in action, not only our society but in our personal lives. We can each make a difference. 希望温情和爱心，不只是充满人间，也能充满你我的人生。
Denise Phua Lay Peng/ My Paper’ Fortnightly Column/ 11 Jun 2013