"When I was 16, I had a fall which left me with a cracked patella and a ligament that was torn in pieces. I had to undergo multiple surgical procedures to reconstruct my knee. At that age, I felt it was necessary to put on a brave face for my family when they visited me in hospital. But at night, I cried from the pain of my injury and felt useless because I was unable to move on my own.
A nurse in the ward reached out to me after she noticed me crying. From that day, she made it her personal mission to help me get through that dark phase of my life. She talked to me, joked with me and emotionally nursed me back to health. With her encouragement, I pushed myself to heal faster and learn how to walk again.
I chose to become a nurse because of the lasting impression she had on me. Beyond physical care, patients also need someone to be there for them emotionally. I want to be able to make that difference in their journey to recovery."
- Jesminder Kaur, Senior Staff Nurse, National Dental Centre Singapore