50 inspirational
letters from individuals and families celebrate hope and triumph;
Full proceeds in
support of the KKH Health Endowment Fund
24 November 2015, Singapore – A mother's unconditional love; a doctor's determination to save lives; the healing magic of laughter; life after the loss of a loved one. These stories of Singaporeans from all walks of life with the fondest memories of their healthcare journeys have been woven together in a special commemorative book entitled, 'Dear KKH, Hope in 50 Letters'.
Published by KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), this book celebrates hope and triumph as told through personal letters from 50 individuals and families. The book will be launched this evening by Minister for Health, Mr Gan Kim Yong, at KKH. Full proceeds from the sale of 'Dear KKH, Hope in 50 Letters' will go towards the KKH Health Endowment Fund (KKHHEF), which provides financial assistance for the medical needs of disadvantaged patients.
The team behind the book spent close to a year gathering this collection of stories that capture the grit of the human fighting spirit in the face of adversity: much like Mr Lau Yong Ngee and his family – who battled through the loss of their firstborn son to help their youngest through his treatment for chronic granulomatous disease; or that of Madam Baldeep Kaur – who made medical history as the first patient in Singapore to undergo an intrauterine blood transfusion in 1993 to save her second son, who is today a healthy and handsome 22-year-old; and Ms Keh Li Ching – brave mother of a three-year-old son with Biliary Atresia (BA), and who continues to be a pillar of support to other parents of children with BA.
"It is our pleasure to have been invited by KKH to share our story with other readers. In our three years seeking treatment for my son in KKH, we have been surrounded by a strong community of friendly nurses and amiable doctors, polite health personnel and a warm child-friendly environment, all which have made the multiple hospital stays and routine visits so much easier to bear. We are fortunate that my son has a wonderful team of doctors and nurses to care for him at KKH. The high level of dedication and the first world health care really helps to alleviate the emotional trauma and constant worries of many caregivers. It gives us a great peace of mind knowing our child will be in good hands," added Ms Keh Li Ching.
The collection of stories includes heartfelt messages from long-time supporters of the hospital, such as Mr Tan Chin Hwee, who founded the KKH Premmies Fund in 2009, and Mr Jimmy Yeo, founding member of the Caring Clowns Unit – which makes regular appearances in the hospital's paediatric wards to bring humour and cheer to young patients.
Dedicated staff of the hospital also share their fond memories: Professor Phua Kong Boo, dedicated paediatrician for more than 40 years, Midwife Saleha Kamsan who has helped to deliver numerous babies since 1972, and Health Care Attendant Low Ah Moey, the longest-serving staff member with over 58 years of service at KKH vividly recount the days of old when they first started working in the hospital which grew steadily in strength to become Singapore's leading academic medical centre for women and children.
The stories in 'Dear KKH, Hope in 50 Letters' bring to life the resilience of the Singapore spirit that comes together irrespective of race, culture, ethnicity and even across generations, to care for one another in good times and especially in times of need. The commemorative book also seeks to capture these memorable moments in history for current and future generations to come.
'Dear KKH, Hope in 50 Letters' retails at $50 and is available at the KKH Patient Education Centre (Level 1, Women's Tower, 100 Bukit Timah Road) and at independent bookstore Woods in the Books (No. 3 Yong Siak Street, Tiong Bahru). Online purchase for the book is also available through Epigram Books at http://shop.epigrambooks.sg.
