Think about what you did today and you will realise that we don’t live alone in this world. We thrive on social interactions and there are others in our life we can relate to. That person might be family, but it could also be a neighbour or a colleague. Essentially, it is thecommunity we live in. Recognising this, CGH — in collaboration with our community partner — set up Health Peers, as part of our response to the War on Diabetes. The main aim: bring medical care beyond the hospital. A group of volunteers are trained by medical professionals, so that they can give the right on-ground support to those striving to cope with diabetes, and the programme has shown much success (page 12).

If you are a caregiver to someone with dementia (page 8), you would know how tiring it is. However, know that you are not alone in this journey. You are as important as the person that you are caring for, so reach out to others for support. In this issue, we also pay a special tribute to the angels in white — our nurses who have cared to go beyond in various ways (page 18).

And as you start off the new year with festivities, be careful with those drinks. Do you know that drinking excessively can be a sign of addiction (page 20)? Hear what our medical experts have to say and, as always, continue eating healthily to prevent the rise of chronic diseases like stroke (page 2).

Happy reading, and may you be inspired in your own way to reach out and give help to those around you. Together, we are stronger.

Sarah Abdul Karim
Editor