​The inaugural SingHealth-Duke NUS Gala Dinner will be held on Saturday, 5 September 2015 at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.   This biennial fundraising event aims to raise funds for research and education causes for Academic Clinical Programs. Prof Soo Khee Chee, Deputy GCEO, is the Advisor to the Organising Committee for the Gala Dinner. Chairperson for the Gala Dinner is Associate Professor Lee Shu Yen, Senior Consultant at SNEC’s department of Vitreo-Retinal Service. Her Co-Chairperson is Dr June Goh, Senior Consultant at SGH’s Department of Anaesthesiology.

TM catches up with Prof Lee and Dr Goh to find out more.

Congratulations on being appointed the Chair and Co-Chair of our inaugural Gala Dinner! This is the first time we are organising this event. What do you think will make it a success?

Assoc Prof Lee Shu Yen: I hope that this Gala Dinner will lay the foundation in building awareness of the importance of philanthropy in enabling us to come up with new treatments and new solutions to medical challenges.   Personally, it is a success if we are able to cultivate a deeper understanding of the potential of research and education and the sort of impact it will have on our patients, the community and the future.   Research breakthroughs don’t materialise overnight; all the more reason to do as much as we can today. Philanthropy drives these efforts.

Dr June Goh: Many, many gala dinners are organised throughout the year - by healthcare institutions, schools, voluntary organisations and the various charities.   I would consider it a success if we are able to do such a great job with this inaugural event that it continues to gain traction, in terms of fundraising efforts, and continued interest from those who support our healthcare research and education causes for subsequent Gala Dinners. It usually takes a few years for a gala dinner to become a “signature event” that supporters and donors look forward to attending.   Our goal is to create that unique branding for our SingHealth-Duke NUS Gala Dinner.

 

How do you hope the ACPs benefit from this fundraising effort?

June: I think there is a lot of potential in partnering like-minded individuals and corporations to achieve what we want to do – make our patients’ lives better through research and education. At the same time, fundraising and development is a new area for all of us.   I hope that this Gala Dinner enables all our ACPs to embark on their respective fundraising and development journey, to envision the potential of their research initiatives and showcase their respective opportunities for partnership.

Shu Yen: I agree with June!   I also hope it will also be an opportunity for our colleagues in the ACPs to sharpen their focus in the various projects they are involved in or want to embark on and pitch the benefits our patients and community. I believe it will also be an enriching experience for all of us to understand how we can work towards matching our causes with the interests and intent of donors.

 

Any words of advice or encouragement for the ACPs in this fundraising effort?

Shu Yen: Know your CAUSES for support very well! Your passion for your work will come through when you explain to potential donors why it is the right investment to make – to advance medical research and education. You may be surprised that patients, in particular, will be very interested to know about your area(s) of research and may want to do their part to help. We appreciate every gesture and donation. It’s really not the amount that matters, but the understanding and awareness of what we are trying to achieve by pursuing Academic Medicine.

Also, be open to sharing contacts with one another. You may know of someone who is interested in donating to a particular area of research – you can also play your part as a connector to bring the potential donor and the researcher, clinician-scientist or educator together to discuss about the research or education initiative.

June: Keep an open and positive mind! For those of us who are patient-facing (doctors, nurses and allied health professionals), we may know of grateful patients who want to do their part to help your research causes.   Or someone in the department may be able to get corporate sponsorship. Perhaps you may learn over a family dinner that a relative’s friend may be looking to support a meaningful project.   These are all opportunities!   You will be surprised at the vast network of contacts that we have both as individuals and collectively.   Of course, the icing on the cake for this gala dinner is that SingHealth Foundation will be matching the amount raised through table sales for the Dinner (subject to a cap).

For the Dinner, we hope that we are able to secure as much sponsorships as we can to minimise our overhead costs – quality auction items, printing, flowers, entertainment – so that at the end of the day, we can ensure that the funds we raise can be transferred back to the ACPs for their new projects and initiatives. If anyone has good contacts or ideas, please send them our way!

What will give you the greatest sense of satisfaction about this gala dinner?

Shu Yen: That people will remember the event, tell their friends and many will continue to come forward to support our cause every two years when it happens!   More importantly, if we manage to shift mindset and perspectives about how we can provide better care if we pursue philanthropic partnerships, it will be really gratifying!

June: Knowing that throughout the process of organising to the event taking place, we have managed to spread the message and create greater awareness that we are not fundraising for ourselves but for our patients, our loved ones… Because, while we have the expertise, we can’t do everything ourselves.  Only with the power of philanthropy can we hope to find more cures not just for our patients now but for the future.  

It would be great if we create a lasting impression with this first Gala Dinner, of course, since it will be our anchor fundraising event for SingHealth!