Kidney transplant gave her back to her family

E
FR
E
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
❙ 1
Patients. At the Heart of All We Do.
Issue 12
January/February 2009 MICA (P) 008/01/2009
I N S I D E
Can we
choose our
baby’s sex?
Pg
5
The world
in a
hospital
Pg
8
What is
Medical
Social
Work?
Pg
14
Family
matters
in breast
cancer
prevention
Pg
20
Kidney transplant gave
her back to her family
It took years of waiting before she got her kidney. Even after her transplant, she
faced complications that took her back to the operating theatres several times.
But Vanitha Sassedran says she has no regrets as she has her life back.
By Sheralyn Tay
The days used to creep by for Ms
Vanitha Sassedran. Suffering from
kidney failure and requiring thriceweekly dialysis, the young mother of
three daughters felt isolated from the
world. She had to shuttle between her
shift job and dialysis sessions three times
a week, leaving her with little extra time
and energy. “I hardly saw my daughters
or my husband,” she said. “When I
was on dialysis, I never thought of the
next day.”
Vanitha started having symptoms of
kidney failure in 1992 while expecting
her second child. Her condition stabilised
after medication, but resurfaced in
1994 when she was with her third
child. This time, medication controlled
her condition for a limited time. Four
years later, her kidney function had
deteriorated so much that she was
vomiting, dizzy and weak all the time
and had to go on dialysis.
“I didn’t like it at all,” Vanitha said, “I
didn’t want to go.”
Having kidney failure and being on
dialysis meant she felt tired and cranky
all the time. She also had to restrict her
water intake to prevent water retention
and was barred from eating her favourite
fruit, durian. “My family is crazy about
durian, but I stopped eating durian for so
long, I lost my taste for it,” she said.
Worse was her inability to care for her
children and be with family. “They would
go on trips, but I couldn’t join them
because of dialysis and my fear that if I
went, something would happen.”
She waited four and a half years before
a suitable donor was found. But the wait
was worth every minute. “Now I look
forward to each new day and what it
brings,” said the 38-year-old. She started
to do things she had always wanted to
do; she learnt bridal make-up, manicure
and pedicure, and henna design. She is
even using these newfound hobbies to
do a little bit of freelance work.
She wasn’t able to stand for long
periods of time to cook previously but
Vanitha is now queen of the kitchen. “I
love to cook and bake,” she said. “I read
cook books, find recipes online to make
special meals for my family.” She’s even
learning to swim.
Tansplant Complications
The gift of life didn’t come easy. In
addition to the long wait before she got
a cadaveric kidney, she had to undergo
three more operations to stop internal
bleeding. “In my pain, fear and worry, I
even told the doctor that I didn’t want
the kidney anymore,” she recalled. But
her doctors encouraged her to not give up
and the third procedure was a success.
Vanitha is glad she didn’t give up.
Some friends in her dialysis centre have
not made the decision to go for a kidney
transplant because they fear the effect
of post-transplant medication and drug
expenses. But for her, the “big chance”
to change her life is a decision that she
won’t regret.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
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Happy 3rd
Birthday,
Lumpkid!
By Sheralyn Tay
His name is Lumpkid and he was a
gift three years ago. As far as gifts
go, Lumpkid isn’t very flashy. He’s
on the plump side, doesn’t say much
and is always hidden from view, but
Lumpkid has made a big impact in
my life. Lumpkid is my third kidney,
a donation from my younger brother
Alphonsus and the gift that saved
my life.
I was diagnosed with renal
impairment when I was 19 and in my
final year of studies at polytechnic. I
knew that kidney failure and dialysis
would one day be issues I had to
grapple with. Four years later in 2005 –
when I was constantly nauseated, dizzy
and weak – I was not entirely prepared
for the reality that my condition had
caught up with me.
But when that time came, Alphonsus
was prepared. He stepped up – without
even me asking – and said he would
donate his kidney. His pro-activeness
meant I only spent three months on
dialysis. I got my new kidney on Nov
30, 2005.
As an organ recipient, I feel blessed
to be able to really say that old cliché
of being given a new lease of life holds
true. I have always been an active and
optimistic person, but I also tended to
be highly anxious and prone to bouts
of self-pity.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
2 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
HospitalBills101
Why am I warded at the
Emergency Observation Ward?
By Gopalan Pokkan and Rosling Teo Wee Kheng
Under what circumstances would a patient be admitted to the Emergency
Observation Ward (EOW)?
Following initial treatment and investigations, patients seen at the Emergency
Department could be admitted to the EOW for further management. The patient
may be warded from eight to 23 hours.
During this admission period, the patient will undergo a series of tests and
treatment. About 85% of our patients are discharged, with 15% admitted to the
inpatient ward for more treatment.
Conditions that may require admission to the EOW
1. Abdominal Pain
2. Asthma
3. Bites and Stings
4. Cellulitis
5. Chest Pain
6. Dehydration
7. Gastroenteritis
8. Giddiness
9. Gout
10. Head Injury
11. Heart Failure
12. Hyperglycaemia
13. Hypertension
14. Hypoglycaemia
15. Minor Injury
16. Pneumonia
17. Poisoning
18. Pyelonephritis
19. Renal Colic
20. Seizure
21. Toxic Inhalation
What are the charges involved?
The estimated bill for a stay in the EOW ranges from $160 to $580. This excludes
the $90 emergency attendance fee.
Can Medisave be used to pay for EOW charges?
Patients may claim up to $450 from their Medisave account if the stay is more than
eight hours.
Can the charges be covered by Medishield or the patient’s insurance?
Medishield does not cover EOW charges. However some private insurance
companies may cover these charges.
Mr Gopalan is Senior Manager of SGH’s Department of Emergency Medicine
Ms Teo is Executive of Admissions Office
Lowest costs not always key
Turning trash into cash
Old calendars are transformed into photo frames and tile
samples into fridge magnets. Things that are no longer
of use have been rescued from the rubbish dump by the
Housekeeping Department and turned into decorative
knick-knacks for sale to help needy patients. In 2008, over
$16,000 were raised for the SGH Needy Patients Fund.
By Aaron Loh
ever more creative ways to
re-use everyday discards.
“Although
we
only
dedicate one day to the
sale of items, planning and
preparing takes more than
a month. We try to re-use
whatever we can find in the
Hospital from the offices and
even the kitchen,” said Ms
Wong.
At the one-day bazaar on
Nov 12 last year, volunteers
manned stalls selling things
such as flowers made from
used fruit wrappers, colourful
This giant 1,600-can octopus is the centerpiece at the
Clean and Green Singapore fair at SGH.
fridge magnets which first
saw life as floor tile samples
THEY deftly cut, snap and craft what would and photo frames made from old calendars.
otherwise be trash into pretty ornaments Patients, visitors and staff who thronged
and quaint artifacts. These items are then the stalls on the ground-floor corridors of
sold and proceeds go to the coffers of the hospital buildings were also invited to
Singapore General Hospital’s (SGH) Needy try their hand at making their own crafts
Patients Fund.
through step-by-step demonstrations.
Tucked away in Block 8 of SGH, the
“Selling the re-used items is one thing.
Housekeeping Department sets aside But if I teach you how to do it, you will
a month each year to handcraft items at be able to recycle and cut down waste on
their “backroom production line” for a your own,” explained Ms Wong.
good cause.
“We started out small by just giving
talks in 1992. Then in 2002, we began
selling items in conjunction with the Clean
and Green Week to promote recycling,”
said Ms Connie Wong, an executive of
the Housekeeping Department. “In 2007,
we managed to raise $7,382 for needy
patients. And last year, the amount more
than doubled to $16,339.”
They have not looked back since and A visitor learns about recycling efforts
constantly challenge themselves to try through the mini exhibits.
By Aaron Loh
Mr Lim Swee Say, NTUC Secretary-General,
Minister, Prime Minister’s Office (left), looking at the
demonstration of the 2-in-1 mop.
LEADERS of the National
Trades Union Congress (NTUC)
undertook a learning journey to
the Singapore General Hospital
(SGH) on Dec 6 last year to see
how firms can focus on quality
instead of costs when evaluating
contracts in outsourcing services.
According to SGH Director
of Operations, Mr Loh Yong
Ho, the hospital outsourced its
housekeeping requirements to
Integrated Service Solutions
PUBLISHER
PUBLISHING CONSULTANT AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE NTUC Media Co-operative Ltd
Singapore General Hospital
Outram Road
Singapore 169608
Tel 6222 3322 Fax 6222 1720
EDITORIAL TEAM
Tan Shee Lah
tanshl@ntucmedia.org.sg
Design
• Sharon New • Jann Chong
• Charles Chong
Hazel Yong
hazelyong@ntucmedia.org.sg
MARKETING TEAM
Leong Wai Kit
leongwk@ntucmedia.org.sg
Joseph Loh (Head, Group Account)
josephloh@ntucmedia.org.sg
SGH is a JCI accredited hospital
CONTRIBUTORS
• Hannah Lim
• Mary Lim
• Sheralyn Tay
Jimmy Lim (Head, Group Account)
jimmylim@ntucmedia.org.sg
Mike Chew (Group Account Mgr)
mikechew@ntucmedia.org.sg
(ISS) although its quote was not the
lowest. This was because its proposal
included mechanisation and upgrading
of workers’ skills as compared to other
offers based on lowering costs per
headcount.
Mr Woon Chiap Chan, Country
Managing Director of ISS, said that
based on mutual trust and their longterm partnership with SGH, the
company was willing to invest about
$1.5 million on new machines and a
training programme for its staff working
Chris Seng (Account Mgr)
chrisseng@ntucmedia.org.sg
Sam Gan (Account Mgr)
samgan@ntucmedia.org.sg
at SGH. This results in a win-win
situation for both SGH as well as ISS
workers who benefitted in terms of
skills upgrading and better salaries.
ISS showcased several of the
initiatives during the learning journey,
such as the use of a 2-in-1 mop to
save water and time, and light-weight
trolleys for matured workers.
There are currently over 450 ISS
staff at SGH providing housekeeping,
portering, concierge and ambulance
services.
SGH CONTENT ADVISORS
Tan-Huang Shuo Mei
Director, Communications & Service Quality (SGH)
Group Communications & Service Quality Director
(SingHealth)
To advertise, please call 6236 5790
Email: mktgmedia@ntucmedia.org.sg
Casey Chang
Deputy Director, Communications
For editorial content, email:
editor@sgh.com.sg
SGH EditorIAL TEAM
Lim Mui Khi
Angela Ng
Aaron Loh
SGH CLINICAL ADVISORS
A/Prof Low Wong Kein
Dr Hemashree Rajesh
Dr Terence Kee
Guest Clinical Advisors
Professor Donald Tan
Dr Jenny Tang
Dr Ho Gay Hui
Dr Shyamala Thilagaratnam
Dr Tan Su-Ming
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
Looking to Partners for
healthcare hub ideas
❙ 3
Encapsulating
a moment in
cardiac history
Insights from an influential physician executive from the US
Dr James J. Mongan may not be a
familiar name to many Singaporeans.
But the man invited to share his
experiences with SingHealth leaders
and staff, and other healthcare partners
at the annual SingHealth Leadership
Series, is a nationally recognised health
policy expert in the United States, with
long-standing experience in health
system management.
The 66-year-old is President and
Chief Executive Officer of Partners
HealthCare, the largest integrated
healthcare group in Massachusetts,
and Professor of Health Care Policy
and Professor of Social Medicine at
Harvard Medical School. He was also
recently named the Most Powerful
Physician Executive in Healthcare by
Modern Physician, a US publication for
healthcare executives.
When asked for his impression of
SingHealth and Singapore’s healthcare
system, the alumnus of Stanford
University Medical School said: “I’m
very impressed by the breadth and
depth of services you provide, there
doesn’t seem to be any huge holes and
gaps, and I’m equally impressed by the
broad range of population that you
serve.”
Dr Mongan noted the parallels
between Partners and SingHealth,
such as the organisational structure,
and both groups’ continuous efforts in
tapping IT advances as well as work on
capital planning.
Partners, established in 1994, is the
parent of some of the most prestigious
Dr James Mongan shared his experience
running an integrated healthcare
organisation at a keynote address, which
drew close to 300 healthcare professionals.
academic medical centres in the
country, including Massachusetts
General Hospital and Brigham and
Women’s Hospital.
Partners model envisioned for
Outram Campus
The Partners model offers patients
a continuum of coordinated services,
focusing on the advancement of
healthcare through patient care, research
and teaching the next generation of
physicians. This is the model that
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan
had envisioned for Outram Campus,
which he said could be transformed
into a “medipolis, integrating clinical
service, teaching and research in a
holistic patient-centric manner”, so
that Singapore “can be an unbeatable
hub in this part of the world”.
With that, institutions across
the SingHealth group are gearing
up to realise their potential in the
practice of academic medicine.
To draw lessons from the Partners
model, Dr Mongan was asked what
had contributed to their success.
“One of the factors is the strengths
of the founding institutions, and
another factor is being able to
develop a common understanding
among disparate groups like teaching
hospitals, community hospitals, and
community-practising physicians that
they can achieve greater success if they
work together productively rather than
fight against one another,” he said.
Elaborating on how the “disparate
groups” can work together, he said:
“The first thing is to develop a vision
and common understanding of what
benefits there are in working closely
together and cooperating with one
another.” He also said all groups need
to listen to one another’s concerns
and attempt to demonstrate how
they can get the benefits in working
together.
During his visit to SingHealth from
Oct 6-9, Dr Mongan met leaders and
staff in various fields like education,
IT, and clinical and service quality. He
also delivered a keynote address on
“Building a high performance public
hospital – from great ideas to winning
results,” attended by close to 300
healthcare professionals.
For many who had the privilege of
hearing from Dr Mongan, they would
have gleaned invaluable insights from
the man who wields great influence in
the healthcare industry.
Health Minister Mr Khaw Boon Wan
(second from right) launched the time
capsule, together with (from left) Professor
Ivy Ng, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of
SingHealth, Associate Professor Koh Tian Hai,
Medical Director of NHC, and Mr Bernard
Chen, Chairman of SingHealth.
The National Heart Centre (NHC)
Singapore marked yet another historic
moment on Nov 22 when it launched
its 10th Anniversary Time Capsule,
witnessed by close to 200 guests and
staff.
The time capsule contained numerous
memorabilia including the first annual
report in 1999, old medical devices
and uniforms. In his speech, guest-ofhonour Health Minister Mr Khaw Boon
Wan praised NHC for having a strong
team of highly skilled specialists with
deep compassion, under the leadership
of Associate Professor Koh Tian Hai.
The time capsule will be opened in
2028 on the centre’s 30th anniversary.
The event marked the culmination of
a year-long celebration for NHC’s 10th
anniversary, which included the ‘Hearty
Marine’ charity initiative to treat families
of 32 needy patients to a fun-filled and
educational outing to Sentosa.
Hybrid scan unit provides patient comfort
By Gary Tan Theng Tiak
with the acquisition of a
new hybrid machine, the
Hybrid Angiography-CT
System, which comprises
a d i g i t a l s u b t r ac t i on
angiography unit integrated
with a CT scanner, with a
single patient table.
This ability to perform
an angiogram immediately
after a CT scan is
The Hybrid Angiography-CT unit was officially opened by SGH CEO Professor Ang Chong Lye on Nov 1, 2008. par ticular l y beneficial
for patients with trauma,
Should a CT scan find bleeding may now have an immediate angiogram such as those with multiple injuries
or injury in internal organs, a patient and embolisation to stop the bleeding sustained in accidents. These patients
are usually hard to move, especially
at Singapore General Hospital’s without being moved.
The
dual
system
has
become
possible
with devices to provide blood, saline
Department of Diagnostic Radiology
and monitoring attached. Moreover,
the combined information from a CT
scan and angiography provides doctors
with a quick overview of the patient’s
condition.
Despite its sophistication, patients
aren’t charged more for its use. Indeed,
they are charged according to the cost
of the procedure, not the cost of the
machine.
SGH is the first in Asia, outside of
Japan, to offer patients this facility. Since
Nov 1 last year, over 500 cases have been
performed using the hybrid scan.
Mr Tan is Manager of SGH’s
Department of Diagnostic Radiology
4 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
15,000
staff
One
Commitment
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
Can we choose
our baby’s sex?
❙ 5
For a boy: Consume more red meat, salty snacks and caffeinated drinks.
For a girl: Consume more fish and vegetables, chocolate and sweets.
Doc says: The ‘boy/girl’ diet theory is based on altering the body’s pH to
make the vaginal environment more hospitable to the sperm. Each diet is
recommended to be followed for up to six months. However, the diets are
unbalanced and may result in health risks. For instance, the ‘girl’ diet may cause
kidney stones or excessive nervousness.
Dr Hemashree Rajesh, Associate Consultant at the
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, delivers the
facts on gender selection.
and lie down after sex to help the male sperm ‘beat’ the female one to the egg.
By Mary Lim
Doc says: This is based on anecdotal evidence and not scientifically proven.
IF PARENTS were allowed to choose,
most would probably prefer to have
boys.
This is unsurprising
in Asian societies where
male descendents pass on
their family names and
heritage. But what they
may not know is how a
baby’s sex is determined
by the X (female) or
Y (male) chromosome
sperm, said Dr Hemashree
Rajesh (photo), Associate
Consultant at the Singapore General
Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics &
Gynaecology.
According to research, the female
sperm is bigger and has longer staying
power while the male is smaller and
swims faster to fertilise the egg. Then
again, the information is based on
isolated studies and may not apply to all
cases, added Dr Rajesh. She addressed
this topic at ‘Sex Matters – In Baby
Making, Pregnancy and Your Child’s
Health’, a public forum organised by
SGH in October last year.
“At the end of the day, it is more
important to focus on having a healthy
baby.”
Myths surrounding gender selection
Medical advances have resulted
in various sex selection techniques.
However, gender selection is not
allowed in Singapore unless it is done
to prevent the passing down of genderspecific hereditary conditions.
Those who are still interested in
influencing their baby’s gender
may have heard of the popular
Shettles Method. Put forth by
American doctor Landrum B
Shettles over 20 years ago, it
claims that intercourse timing
is important in determining
a baby’s gender. To increase
the chances of having a boy,
couples are advised to have
sex right before or on the day
of the woman’s ovulation.
But since the Shettles method was
only a random survey, there is no strong
scientific evidence to support it, said
Dr Rajesh. In addition, it is difficult to
time the ovulation accurately.
The Whelan method lies at the
other end of the spectrum. Its claim:
Favourable circumstances for the
male sperm occur earlier in a woman’s
ovulation cycle. It therefore contradicts
the
Shettles
method,
which
recommends intercourse two to three
days before ovulation if a daughter is
desired.
The torrent of conflicting
theories and old wives’ tales
about sex selection has
resulted in confusion
for many couples.
Dr Rajesh helps
separate the myths
from the facts.
For a boy: Go for deep penetration in the rear-entry position during intercourse
For a girl: Opt for shallow penetration in the missionary position. Have sex
daily as the reduction in sperm count tends to favour female sperm.
For a boy: Ensure that your wife achieves an orgasm.
For a girl: Ensure that you avoid an orgasm.
Doc says: When a female achieves orgasm, body secretions are released,
resulting in an increased level of alkalinity in the body. This helps transport
the male sperm into the cervix more effectively. However, this is based only on
anecdotal evidence.
For a boy: Abstain from sexual intercourse for four days before ovulation.
Have intercourse on the day of ovulation.
For a girl: Have intercourse till three or four days before ovulation.
Doc says: According to the Shettles Method, the environment in the vagina
and cervix is more acidic before ovulation, making it more favourable for the
female sperm. This theory is, however, not supported by scientific evidence.
For a boy: Get him to wear loose underwear (Y-fronts and boxers).
For a girl: Get him to warm up.
Doc says: This is based on the theory that heat can affect quality and quantity
of sperm, and talk that heat will increase the likelihood of a daughter. But this
concerns fertility, rather than sex selection.
Dysphasia, dysarthria,
dyspraxia, dysphonia…
If you were at an event on Oct 30 to
celebrate 40 years of speech therapy at
Singapore General Hospital, you would
have learnt that these are various disorders
associated with communication. The
Speech Therapy Department put up
an exhibition about the history of the
profession in Singapore and SGH,
posters featuring some of the many
disorders, and some of the therapy tools
used with patients, including computer-
assisted voice games to help improve
various aspects of voice like loudness
and pitch. It was also the Department’s
Inaugural Speech Therapy Day, which
was opened by Ms Ang Hui Gek,
Director of Allied Health Division.
Incidentally, dysphagia refers to
swallowing disorders, dysarthria to
speech, dyspraxia to difficulties in
coordinating speech muscles, and
dysphonia to voice disorders.
6 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
Spare tyre talk
Look, guys, the gut has got to go. Don’t binge on
Chinese New Year goodies this festive season. Your
survival boils down to a simple, inversely proportional
equation: Reduced waistline = extended lifeline.
By Jim O’Brien
THE good news first: The fat that
men tend to accumulate around the
midsection is easier to lose than rolls in
other parts of the bod­y.
And the bad? This type of fat
accumulation, called android, can also
in­crease the risk of coronary heart
disease, stroke and diabetes.
According to the American Heart
Association, men aged 35 to 64 are
three times more like­ly to have a heart
attack than women of the same age.
The life ex­pectancy of males is also
seven years less than women, with big
bellies being one of the main factors. In
fact, a slight paunch can put a normalweight man at risk, claimed Claude
Bouchard, PhD, an exercise physiologist
at Laval University in Quebec.
Why men have bulging love-handles
A waist‑to‑hip ratio test can tell you
if your stomach is pro­truding too much.
First, stand straight and measure the
waist around the navel as well as the hips
at their largest point. Divide the waist
mea­surement by the hip measurement.
If the answer is 1.0 or bigger, it’s time to
trim down, pal.
There are genetic and anatomical
reasons why men pack fat on the abdomen.
The tendency is called male‑pattern, or
android, upper body obesity.
Ironically, anthropologists believe
male‑pattern upper body obesity
worked to men’s advantage for about
three million years. In the days before
refrig­erators and preservatives, people
ate what they grew or killed on the
spot. When they ate more than they
could use, the body stored excess as fat,
which was a source of energy during
food shortages. When men undergo
strenuous activities such as chasing wild
animals during their hunts, their bodies
could readily mobilise the abdominal
fat for energy.
Today, we lead sedentary lives, and all
that does for men is win them a higher
risk of heart attack.
But there’s hope. In one study, men
who reduced upper body fat with aerobic
exercise and diet low­ered their high
cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides
and blood sug­ar levels within 20 weeks.
For ev­ery point reduced in the blood
cho­lesterol level, the risk of heart attack
drops by 2%, according to experts.
To sweeten the deal, men also lose
weight faster than women once they
make a move. Once they’ve slimmed
down, the male anat­omy allows them to
eat larger quan­tities of the right foods
without gain­ing it back.
“Men have greater muscle mass and
high­er metabolic rates than women,
which means we burn more cal­ories,”
said Martin Yadrick, MBA, RD, of the
American Dietetic Association (ADA)
in Chicago. “Muscle is active tissue, so
the more you have, the more cal­ories
you burn, the more you can eat without
gaining lots of weight.”
Reduce dietary fat
Potatoes aren’t fattening, it’s the
butter and sour cream you drench them
with that causes the waist to expand.
You don’t need a computer programme
to figure out how to reduce dietary fat.
Start by limiting butter, mayon­naise,
salad dressings, fried foods, heavy
sauces and rich desserts. Moderate
alcohol consumption. Choose lean
meat, poultry and fish; low fat or skim
milk products; fat‑free salad dressings;
ice milk, yogurt or sorbet instead of ice
cream; tuna packed in water in­stead of
oil; broth soups over cream-based; and
fruit instead of cakes, pies and pastries.
Eat more and weigh less
Your main ally in the battle of the
bulge are complex carbohydrates which
come from whole grains, veg­etables,
fruits and other plant foods. They supply
a steady stream of en­ergy to muscles,
brain and nerves and they don’t make
you fat; each gram of carbohydrate
contains four compared to nine for fats.
“Not all calories are cre­ated equal,”
added Yadrick. “The body has a limited
capacity to turn car­bohydrates into
body fat. If 100 calories from fat are
consumed, 97 of them will be converted
to body fat. If the calories come from
carbohydrates, only 77 will turn to fat.
The remainder will convert into energy.
“The interesting im­plication is that
a man on a diet doesn’t have to eat
like a bird. If he limits his fat intake,
he can enjoy substantial quantities of
carbohydrate‑rich foods, like bread,
pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables.”
Eat less, eat often
Smaller, more frequent meals can
help you maintain high energy levels
and metabolism. Eat break­fast, and
healthful snacks in the mid‑morning
and mid‑afternoon. Sugary foods may
give you a temporary energy boost, but
they cause the body to produce insu­lin,
which can lead to sluggish­ness, fatigue
and in­creased appetite.
For best results, the ADA
recommends a meal of 500 to 600
calories, primarily from complex
carbohydrates.
Fitness first
Dieting alone is not enough. Unfit
men are at eight times the risk of death
from heart attack than fit men. Exercise
helps increase mus­cle mass, which boosts
metabolism and burns calories. In one
study, 70% of the men who combined
exercise and healthy diet main­tained
their weight loss for three years.
Aerobic exercise is the key. At least
30 minutes a session at least three times
a week is a good beginning goal. Work
up from there.
– © Universal Publishing Service
SGH LIFE Centre
The SGH Lifestyle Enhancement &
Fitness Improvement or LIFE Centre is a
hospital-based centre for the promotion
of integrated and holistic care for
patients with lifestyle-related medical
conditions, in particular patients with
eating disorders and obesity.
The Centre is a one-stop medical
facility with a multi-disciplinary team of
doctor, nurse, dietitian, physiotherapist,
psychologist, occupational therapist and
medical social worker, who are specialised
in healthy lifestyle practices, interventions
and behavioural modifications.
Location
Tel
Fax
Email
: Bowyer Block A, Level 1
: 6326-6697
:6223-4526
: sgh.lifecentre@sgh.com.sg
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
❙ 7
SingHealth raises record amount as volunteers
rally to President's Challenge
Doctors from Singapore National Eye Centre
gamely turned car wash crew all in the
name of charity.
Mr Hawazi Daipi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health, flagged off the SingHealth & Coca-Cola Friendship Walk, which is a 2km route
around Outram Campus. Participants are beneficiaries from the Association for Persons with Special Needs, MINDS, and Jamiyah Singapore,
together with SingHealth management and staff.
of President’s Challenge 2008 and
members of the public.
SingHealth, an active supporter of
President’s Challenge and which has
raised over $1 million for beneficiaries
in the last four years, themed last year’s
event “Healthcare, I Care!” Day.
SingHealth institutions rallied
Better, safer Lasik
surgery now at SNEC
guided very precisely to the desired
depth, resulting in the most accurate
flap thickness. In addition, the laser
beam is directed in a more focused
manner, allowing the doctor to apply
only minimum laser energy to the eye.
Such targeted treatment means that
the tissue outside the defined area of
the laser remains
untouched.
Outram Campus buzzed with a
hive of healthy lifestyle activities on
Nov 15 as SingHealth institutions
played host to some 2,000 beneficiaries
A new cutting-edge laser system
recently acquired by the Singapore
National Eye Centre (SNEC) promises
better, safer and more comfortable laser
surgeries to correct vision.
The centre’s medical director,
Professor Donald Tan, said: “This new
laser system is better because patients do
not experience visual blackout and are
able to see throughout the procedure.
As they can see and focus on a central
light source, this guarantees a perfectly
centred treatment.”
During procedures using the
VisuMax Femtosecond Laser System,
there is less pressure exerted on the eye,
meaning patients feel more comfortable.
In comparision, patients who underwent
Lasik treatment using conventional laser
systems often complained of discomfort
from the strong suction applied to the
eye that flattens the cornea.
The VisuMax Femtosecond Laser
System is the newest generation of
femtosecond lasers for bladeless Lasik
surgery and is the first to be used
in Singapore.
New system able
to create very thin
corneal flaps
P a t i e n t s
previously found
to be unsuitable
for Lasik surgery
because of their thin
corneas may now
use this procedure,
as the new system
is able to create
Professor Donald Tan doing Lasik surgery on a patient using the
new cutting-edge VisuMax Femtosecond Laser System.
very thin corneal
flaps. Patients who
Professor Tan explained that with have undergone Lasik surgery using the
the new system, the contact point of new technology describe the procedure
the device is curved to fit the contour as not much more than the insertion of
of the eye and the cornea is only lightly a soft contact lens onto the eye.
Professor Tan said: “Overall, there is
compressed. ”Although it is a rare
occurrence, this new system eliminates more predictability and better results.
the risk of any retinal complications SNEC now has the full arsenal of
Lasik technology to offer better patient
from the high pressure,” he said.
The high performance optics of the choice, patient care, and outcome
system allows the laser beam to be for those with myopia, hyperopia,
together to volunteer time and effort in
organising mass free health screenings
valued at more than $100,000, a
rehabilitation carnival and a health
walk, to encourage the public and
beneficiaries to take ownership of their
health and keep active.
It was a fitting finale to the past few
months of both fund-raising and ‘funraising’ activities among staff, which
had doctors turning into chefs or car
wash crew, in the name of charity.
Together with its community partners,
SingHealth raised a record $302,778,
including a record $62,000 in donations
by Singapore General Hospital, for this
annual charity event.
astigmatism and presbyopia.”
According to Professor Tan, surgeons
who have used the new system say that
it is much easier to operate compared to
other systems.
Similar to the older laser systems,
the cost of surgery done with VisuMax
is about the same and patients should
also be able to return to work the
next day.
In addition to clinical applications
for Lasik, the new system will enable
SNEC to develop new laser-assisted
forms of corneal transplants and
conduct corneal research. This is
funded by the national Translational
and Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship
programme, for which a grant of S$25
million over a five-year period was
awarded to Prof Tan in May 2008.
The primary aim of the TCR
Ophthalmology Flagship Programme
is to develop new and more successful
surgical strategies, including antiscarring or wound healing treatments
for two of the major causes of blindness
– corneal diseases and glaucoma,
which affect Singaporeans and Asians
in particular.
Lasik surgery at SNEC starts from
$975 (before GST) and $1,043.25
(with GST). For more information, call
SNEC Singlasik hotline: 6322 8891 /
6322 9599.
8 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
My say
The world
"Have you makan?" may be the most misunderstood
phrase for 600 foreigners working at Singapore
General Hospital.
By S.H. Eve
n
Robert Ashto
st
tri
ia
d
Po
lia
From Austra
Beating the
heat
just before
a hot shower
“Do not have
u may guess,
. Because as yo
going outdoors leave you drenched in
will
the humidity
’ to people if
, always say ‘yes
oh
nd
A
t.
ea
sw
ready!”
have makan al
they ask if you
Dr S K Surrun
Acting Head of Internal Medicine
From Mauritius
No lack of variety
“The food tastes a little different here.
The Indian food is different from India
or Mauritius. The mixture of the spices
is not quite the same. The curry also
tastes different. But after a while, I kind
of got used to it. I try exposing myself
to something different everyday; I always
pick a different dish at the restaurant.”
FOR Dr Maciej Piotr Chlebicki,
Consultant at the Department
of Infectious Diseases, the art of
communication can be as difficult as
containing the spread of communicable
diseases.
“I remember getting my colleagues
to help ask a patient some questions,”
said the 41-year-old Polish specialist.
He joined the Singapore General
Hospital in 2003, when Singapore was
in the throes of the SARS outbreak.
“We tried Mandarin and some dialect
but the only response we got was a
smile. We thought she was deaf until I
caught her talking to a nurse the next
day. It turned out that she could only
understand Cantonese!”
His problem is a common one
among the 600-strong expatriate
community working at SGH, often due
to their accents, unfamiliarity with local
pronunciation, culture and the unique
language that Singaporeans love
using – Singlish.
Take 25-year-old podiatrist
Robert Ashton, who admitted that
his Australian accent can be difficult
at times for his patients while he
had problems “knowing when to
put ‘lah’ at the end of sentences, at
the right moment.”
Sandra Subner, a Canadian and Senior
Manager with the Medical Board, had
initial problems “remembering Chinese
names because it comes in three parts.”
“I also have to try remembering how
to pronounce names correctly!”
Blending into the multi-cultural
scene
While expatriate staff face initial
difficulties when they arrive in
Singapore, time spent interacting with
colleagues as well as patients and their
families have eased them gradually
into the SGH community. Some, like
Senior Consultant at the Department
of Pathology Angela AP Takano, have
found clever ways to tackle the cultural
differences.
“I find it amusing when people use
‘have you makan?’ as a conversation
opener. I used to always say ‘no’ but
my friends say I should always answer
‘yes’,” said Dr Takano from Peru.
Nurse Jessie Pah
From Singapore
Cultural exchange
icki
Dr Maciej Piotr Chleb
s Diseases
Consultant, Infectiou
From Poland
Break the ice
people from
“I enjoy working with
picked up
I’ve
different cultures. So far,
such as:
s
ase
phr
en
some basic Hokki
ey are
Th
gh?
cou
you
Did
Have you eaten?
ients.
pat
h
wit
useful for breaking the ice
ients
pat
st
mo
I know Hindi as well but
rin
nda
Ma
a
up
k
too
here speak Tamil. I
il I
unt
ll
we
g
ssin
gre
pro
s
course too; I wa
es.”
ton
four
reached the part on the
Sandra Subner
dical Board
Senior Manager, Me
yanese parents,
Born in England to Gu
grew up in Canada
Tongue-twisters
here, I thought:
“Initially when I came
am I going to
‘Oh my goodness, how
se names?’ It’s
ine
Ch
remember all these
a Chinese
ber
em
rem
to
more difficult
just ‘Sandra’
name as compared to
ee parts. I
thr
because it comes in
ing how to
ber
em
also have to try rem
es!”
nam
se
ine
Ch
pronounce the
“We have nurses from pla
ces like Malaysia,
China, Philippines and Myanm
ar.We usually
expose them to our Sin
gaporean culture
through food. Recently, we
took our Filipino
colleague to Chinatown for
a ‘makan’ jaunt.
From time to time, we wil
l also take them
to various places such as
Geylang to get
a dose of our multi-face
ted culture. At
work, we help play the rol
e of interpreter,
especially when they are wit
h patients who
can only speak dialects. But
we do learn
from them as well, like for
eign expressions.
Some are just fun words;
others are useful.
I’m thankful that I get to enj
oy the cultural
exchange every day. It’s an exp
erience which
I would not exchange for
any other.”
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
in a hospital
“I think it’s just part of the culture of
being polite, so sometimes I have to ask:
‘Are you sure you understand? Is this
what you really mean to say?’ Because
in the medical environment, I think it’s
better to clarify as we cannot afford to
make communication mistakes.”
Like Dr Takano, Indian national
Pradeep Kumar Chandramohan has his
own secret to success: learn to speak like
a local. Expressions like ‘ni hao’ (‘how
are you’ in Mandarin), ‘kum xia’ (‘thank
you’ in Hokkien) and even some basic
Malay words are now useful tools in his
vocabulary list. Said the 28-year-old
physiotherapist wryly: “I learnt a lot
from my patients!”
Food, fashion and society
Besides language, food is another
great way to expose expatriates to the
Singapore culture. Although local SGH
staff like nurse Ms Jessie Pah make it a
point to take their foreign counterparts
to eating places like Chinatown and
Geylang frequently, other adventurous
folks like Department of Pathology
Senior Consultant Dr Norman Chan
have ventured into the heartlands by
themselves for chow. Said Hong Kongborn Dr Chan, who lived in Vancouver
before coming to Singapore: “I love the
hawker centres. I love the way I can eat
anywhere!’
Food may be a way to most
people’s hearts but for Ms Subner,
fashion provides the local connection.
The Canadian is fond of traditional
Asian clothes and often wears saris,
cheongsams and the baju kurung when
she heads out. With her tan complexion,
she is often mistaken for a local.
“People will ask for directions in
Malay or Chinese dialects. When I first
came for my medical examination, the
staff nurse asked if I was an Indian,”
said the smiling woman.
The appreciation for culture has
caught on among local staff at SGH.
Said Ms Pah,”I’m thankful that I get to
enjoy the cultural exchange every day.
It’s an experience which I would not
exchange for any other.”
More importantly, foreign-trained
professionals
bring
alternative
perspectives to patients’ needs and
treatments. Said Ms Anna Fok, Director
of Human Resource: “A vibrant medical
centre thrives on open exchanges of
talents and clinical expertise with
other world renowned medical
institutions.
“The presence of foreign
trained and experienced healthcare
professionals adds to the learning
and growth of a dynamic workforce,
enriching the lives of our patients
and staff.”
o
Dr Angela AP Takan
thology
Senior Consultant, Pa
From Peru
ent
Stress-free environm
can come back
“As a single woman, I
late at night and
from my friend’s house
back the way
my
I don’t have to watch
So that takes
.
tes
Sta
d
I do in the Unite
life.”
out one stress out of my
Nurse Rong Fang
From China
Eye-openers
“I remember the first
time my Malay
colleague invited me to
her house. It
was to attend her wedd
ing, I was really
touched by the warm
welcome and
awestruck by the glamo
ur of it all. Back
home in China, we don’t
get to attend
a Malay wedding or cel
ebrate Malay
festivals such as Hari
Raya Puasa. It’s
such an eye-opener here.”
dramohan
Pradeep Kumar Chan
Physiotherapist
From India
Greener pastures
t give as many
“In India, doctors do no
isions are also
case notes. Most dec
SGH, doctors
made by the doctors. At
myself work
like
let physiotherapists
uld also consult
independently. They wo
given a certain
me on what I would do
make more
to
situation. Here, I get
decisions.”
Dr F R Jauf
ee
Senior Cons rally
ul
Medicine Fr tant Physician, Intern
al
om Mauriti
us
Stand up fo
r Sin
gapore
“I’ve been wor
king in Maurit
ius for a long
time but wante
d to see how
medicine is
practised in
other countr
ies. I decided
to give Singap
ore a go whe
n I saw a
recruitment
ad in 1998.
I like it here
especially th
,
e new tech
nology and
setup. My 13
-year-old son
also prefers
Singapore to
Mauritius.”
Nurse Chen Na
From Malaysia
Technology shock
when I came to
“I had a culture shock
sing. Here, at
nur
dy
Singapore to stu
are expected
tertiary level, students
rosoft Office.
to be well-versed in Mic
much more
so
is
The technology here
Being able
.
me
ho
k
advanced than bac
o helps me to
to converse in Malay als
patients. In fact,
connect with my Malay
e of them.”
on
they often treat me as
Dr Norman Chan
Senior Consultant, Pa
tho
Born in Hong Kong bu logy
t moved to
Vancouver
A sense of belonging
“I understood Singlis
h from the
first moment I heard
it. It’s basically
English words and Chine
se grammar. I
understand it instinctively
. I was born in
Hong Kong but I feel mo
re at home here.
I won’t say that Singapore
is westernised;
I’d say it’s global.”
❙ 9
10 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
Measuring up
to the highest
service standards
Professor Phua Kong Boo provides tender,
loving care to all his young patients, who
warm up to him easily.
Some 1,808 staff across SingHealth
institutions won last year’s Excellent
Service Awards, making up two-thirds
of all winners in
the healthc are
sector.
The Excellent
Service Award is
a national award
launched in 1994 to
honour individuals
who have delivered
outstanding
service.
Ms Rosie Khoo is
T he h ighest
regarded as a role
model among her
accolade is called
staff and peers alike.
the SuperStar award
and it went to Professor Phua Kong
Boo, a Senior Consultant with the
Department of Paediatric Medicine at
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital
(KKH). Ms Rosie Khoo, a Senior Nurse
Manager at the Singapore General
Hospital (SGH), was also among the
three finalists for this award.
S ingHealth is committed to
providing quality care for patients. The
winners are an inspiration to all those
who have chosen healthcare as their
vocation.
A grandfather figure to his
young patients
Communicating with his young patients at
KKH comes easy to Professor Phua Kong
Boo, 67. With two grandchildren, he is well
versed in the lingo of Barney the purple
dinosaur and Thomas the tank engine.
Not surprisingly, children warm easily
to Professor Phua, who has no qualms
about going the extra mile to relieve their
distress.
“You can’t describe the joy when you
see a sick child recover and start to eat,
laugh and play again, and when smiles
replace the worried and sad expressions
on the parents’ faces,” he said.
Sometimes parents may come across
as difficult, but Professor Phua said it is
because they are concerned and anxious
about their children’s medical condition.
He puts himself in their shoes and takes
pains to explain their children’s conditions
and treatment options.
He said: “Always explain to the parents
in simple language their children’s health
Not one to lose hope, SGH Senior Nurse
Manager Rosie Khoo, 62, talked continually
to a patient who was in a coma from
brain haemorrhage. Two months later, the
patient recovered and now lives a normal
life.
Such is Ms Khoo’s dedication and
devotion to her patients.
During the SARS outbreak in 2003,
she encouraged her staff when they were
stricken with fear from catching the deadly
disease and faced enormous pressure from
supportive to our NSmen in their in-camp
training is aligned with our fundamental need
to be operationally ready.”
SGH staff who are NSmen with outstanding
performance during their in-camp training,
receive congratulatory letters and gift
vouchers from the senior management.
To be operationally ready isn’t limited
to just the Singapore General Hospital
(SGH), and in recognition of its support
towards National Service, Minister for Law
and Second Minister for Home Affairs Mr
K. Shanmugam awarded SGH the Home
Team NS award on Nov 13.
“Emergency preparedness is an
embedded culture in SGH. Our mission is
saving lives, healing and relieving pain,” said
SGH Chief Operating Officer Professor
Ang Chong Lye.
“As the nation’s flagship and first-line
response hospital, we must be ready
to handle civil disasters and disease
outbreaks. As such, helping and being
Community Chest says Thank You
Minister of Community Development,
Youth and Sports Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
presented SGH with the Community Chest
Award on Oct 2 last year for the hospital’s
commitment towards the Community Chest,
and the generosity and passion of its staff in
giving to the community.
Service Express snags a Silver
The Service Express@SOC project
clinched the Silver Award for the 2008 BEST
problems, what is achievable, what is to be
done, and what is the likely outcome. And
keep them informed of the progress their
children are making.”
He is not offended if parents say that
they want to seek a second opinion. In
fact, he will readily recommend other
experts whom they may want to consult.
Testimony to the tender, loving
care that he provides for his patients,
a few of Professor Phua’s patients –
whom he had been taking care of since
they were young and are now young
adults – continue to see him as their
paediatrician instead of going on to
consult other doctors who specialise in
adult medicine.
While many others his age are enjoying
their retirement, Professor Phua continues
to work full time in the hospital. Although
it may be tiring sometimes, he said he
will continue to work for as long as he
is needed.
Courage and devotion
Of trophies and awards
Supporting NS emergency
preparedness brings recognition
❙ 11
WITS Project, in an annual competition
held in conjunction with the PS21 ExCEL
convention to recognise simple ideas with
excellent results.
Service Express@SOC allows hassle-free
checkout service, so that patients can leave
immediately after consultation or treatment
without having to queue again to settle bills
or to get a follow-up appointment.
This project is one of three selected by
the Ministry of Health (MOH) to represent
the ministry for the competition.
Another SGH project, Clinic Resource
Optimisation System, won the Bronze Award.
When a drop is an improvement
A reduction in waiting time for new
appointments at the Endocrinology outpatient
services is more than just a winner for patients.
their families to quit their jobs. Putting
herself at the forefront, she showed them
courage in the face of adversity. “It was a
trying moment of my life, as I need to be
strong in holding the fort and at the same
time be an understanding supervisor to
my staff who were facing emotional and
physical challenges,” she said.
Always helpful and humble, Ms Khoo is
held up by colleagues as a role model for
her vast clinical knowledge and experience
in the nursing profession.
The project, led by Dr Daphne Khoo,
won the second prize in the 5th National
Clinical Quality Improvement Poster
Competition which was held in conjunction
with MOH Clinical Quality Improvement
Conference.
The winning stitch
Associate Professor Chan Yew Weng,
Senior Consultant at the Department of
Anaesthesia and Surgical Intensive Care,
was the national winner in last year’s
international competition, The Future of
Sutures (FUSU), for his idea on “Enhanced
Healing Suture.”
The FUSU competition received over
183 ideas from participants in 27 countries.
Winning the Ishidate Award
Dr Camilla Wong, Department of
Pharmacy, won the Federation of Asian
Pharmaceutical Associations’
(FAPA)
Ishidate Award for Hospital Pharmacy.
The theme of the FAPA 2008 Congress
is “Translational Research: The Approach
to Quality Healthcare.”
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
12 ❙
Name:
Parent/Guardian Name:
Address:
IC No:
Tel:
Email:
Fill in the colours for the picture below, attached the original
receipt and mail in your entry by 31st January 2009 to :
Chin Seng Moh (Import & Export) Pte Ltd
6 Chin Bee Drive, Singapore 619856
Age:
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
Renew, Refresh, Rewire.
Not Retire.
It’s a win-win situation for both older workers drawn back to work flexi-time at
SingHealth institutions and the organisation which recently won an international
award for its innovative employment practices.
“I like what I’m
doing very much.
Although not on
a personal level, I
get to know people
from my survey
questions. This has
opened my eyes
to more things
and helps me
understand people
better.”
Ms Loh loves
Ms Loh Suet Lan is happy that her flexi-time project work in
travelling, and is
SingHealth institutions allows her more time to pursue her
personal interests.
looking forward to
going to Europe
Retired nurse Ms Loh Suet Lan is soon with her friends. She enjoys
reading and is a volunteer at the National
enjoying the best of both worlds.
An active participant of SingHealth’s Library, telling stories to children. She
Silver Connection programme to hopes to get more opportunities to do
engage older workers, Ms Loh works this now that she is not working fullflexible hours, allowing her more time time.
One of her greatest pleasures now
to pursue her personal interests.
“My part-time work enables me to is babysitting her five-month-old
earn some pocket money. And I have grandniece. With her flexible work
the free time to do things for myself, hours, she volunteers to take care of her
spend time with my family and friends,” sister’s granddaughter when her sister is
busy with other things.
said Ms Loh, 58.
Ms Loh’s happy situation isn’t
Ms Loh works at two SingHealth
institutions – the National Cancer unique at the SingHealth group, which
Centre Singapore and Singapore also includes Changi General Hospital,
General Hospital – on projects, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital,
mostly involving recruiting patients National Dental Centre of Singapore,
and collecting laboratory samples for National Heart Centre Singapore,
National
Neuroscience
Institute,
research purposes.
Singapore National Eye Centre, and
SingHealth Polyclinics.
As a result of various initiatives by
the organisation to reach out to mature
employees, almost 80% of SingHealth’s
retired staff have chosen to continue
working with its institutions.
Professor Tan Ser Kiat, Group Chief
Executive Officer of SingHealth, said:
“Healthcare is a people-intensive
industry. We believe that age brings
wisdom and skills that are not easily
replaceable.
“In light of an ageing workforce,
we proactively align our employment
practices to tap the growing pool of
mature workers. Our age-friendly
practices, such as retraining, flexi-work
arrangement and job redesign, serve to
equip and prepare our mature staff for
pre-retirement.”
About 18% of SingHealth’s 15,000
staff are aged 50 and above.
In 2006, SingHealth started Silver
Connection to help its mature staff
enhance their employability. Guided
by the ethos ‘Renew, Refresh, Rewire,
not Retire,’ some of Silver Connection’s
programmes include financial planning
workshops, and employment of retired
nurses and allied health professionals on
a part-time or project basis, in positions
like health research and survey assistants
and feedback unit coordinators.
One notable initiative is the Postnatal
Shared care on asthma
Like many chronic illnesses, asthma
must be managed with frequent
specialists checkups. For children with
the disease, that means travelling to
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital
(KKH), which could entail long travel
and waiting times.
But under a new KKH integrated
care programme, children with stable
asthma can now be cared for more
conveniently by their neighbourhood
general
practitioner
(GP)
or
paediatrician.
Launched in September 2008,
the KKH Partners in Asthma Care
initiative is a collaboration between
KKH specialists and the hospital’s
network of more than 240 primary
healthcare partners to jointly manage
bronchial asthma conditions in children.
Those with relatively stable asthma are
directed to GPs and paediatricians for
ongoing care, while respiratory care
specialists at KKH continue to monitor
their condition periodically.
“This shared-care model will
facilitate greater convenience for the
patients without compromising on
the level of care and support,” said
Dr Jenny Tang, Head and Senior
Consultant of Paediatric Medicine’s
❙ 13
Home Care Programme which supports
new mothers as they adjust to the
demands of caring for a newborn. Since
it was launched in March 2007, more
than 50 retiring and retired midwives
have completed a specialised training
course and helped over 200 families.
In addition, SingHealth also invested
in equipment and automation to
make the work of its mature staff less
physically demanding. For example,
its hospitals have bought hoists to
transport patients, and magnifiers for
easier reading of medicine labels.
Commitment
to older
workers brings
honour
SingHealth’s age-friendly practices have
not gone unnoticed.
It recently became one of two
organisations in Asia to win the inaugural
International
Innovative
Employer
Award given out by AARP (formerly
known as the American Association for
Retired Persons), a US-based non-profit
organisation representing 40 million
members aged 50 and over.
As one of 10 winners worldwide,
SingHealth was selected for, among other
factors, its recruiting practices, workplace
culture, alternative work options, flexible
retirement, and employee benefits that
support the health and financial security of
employees.The other winning employers
were from Denmark, Germany, and the
United Kingdom.
“This award by AARP is affirmation
of our commitment in supporting the
ageing workforce and strong belief in the
value and potential of our mature staff,”
said SingHealth Group Chief Executive
Officer Professor Tan Ser Kiat.
Respiratory Service at KKH.
It also makes healthcare more
affordable as patients do away with
specialist fees and travelling costs.
Participating doctors are in turn
given regular updates on asthma
management and direct admission or
fast-tracked appointments for their
patients when the need arises.
This focus on primary care is in line
with the Health Ministry’s move to
adopt the ‘right-siting’ of care for those
with chronic diseases, moving care of
patients with stable conditions away
from hospitals to the community.
An estimated one-fifth of
Singapore’s child population suffers
from bronchial asthma. Since 2001,
KKH has been actively addressing the
problem to improve quality of life for
asmathic children, such as through
i t s S i n ga p o re Na t i on a l A st h m a
Programme.
14 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
Award-winning social worker follows calling
Social worker stumbles into the profession, picks up
the lives of many along the way, and rises to highest
honours in social work.
By Aaron Loh
If she had chosen teaching, Singapore
would have lost an exemplary social
worker.
Indeed, after graduation in 1985,
last year’s Outstanding Social Worker
Award recipient – one of two people in
the nation to win the highest honour
for this field in 2008 - had considered
teaching but the subjects she took in
school didn’t allow her to go into the
profession at the time.
As a result, Ms Long Chey May, 45,
“went into social work without knowing
what it was. Passion was something
that came along the
way.”
The first in
her family of
eight daughters
to graduate from
university, Ms Long
started work in the
Singapore Armed
Forces (SAF), as
a counsellor in
the Drug Rehab
Branch. “I was very
comfortable in the
SAF because of my
background with the National Cadet
Corps when I was in school.
“The army boys also taught me a lot
of things; such as life as a drug abuser;
how difficult addiction to substance
is. Gangsterism was also prevalent as
many of the young men I counselled
came from poor social economic
background. But they are very resilient.
They also directly contributed to my
development of micro skills as they
would give me directly their feedback
on what was helpful and what was not.
I also saw how social work is about
What is Medical
Social Work?
Medical Social Work is a
sub-discipline of social
work. It involves providing
assistance to patients
and their families in a
hospital setting.
The Medical Social Services of
S ingapore General Hospital has
been serving its patients, the hospital
and community since the 1950s. The
department attends to patients and their
families who have difficulties coping
with their emotional, psychological,
social and care problems arising from
ill-health and traumatic injuries. As an
inter-disciplinary team, Medical Social
Workers (MSW) collaborates with
the healthcare team and community
resources to provide patients and their
families with holistic care.
understanding the human spirit.”
“Upon completion of my (six-year
contract with the SAF), I had the chance
to join Singapore General Hospital as
a Medical Social Worker (MSW) and
have stayed till the present,” she said.
Working with needy and troubled
chronic patients, Ms Long felt
privileged to be able to enter “deep
into the patient’s world,” helping her
understand the problems that the
patient feels. Her job began to take on
a new meaning, and she started to love
her job.
At the same time, as the passion drove
her deeper into the patient’s world, “it is
important that we take care of ourselves
before we can reach out to help and
care for others. We have to practise
controlled emotional involvement.
If not, we are at risk of burning out,”
she said.
Bridging the gap with community
services
In her journey towards last year’s
award, which she proudly received from
President S R Nathan at the Istana on
Oct 31, Ms Long has initiated many
programmes to raise welfare and care
for patients. One of these is her Care
Outreach Programme.
Ms Long had noted a glaring gap in
welfare services for patients between the
time they are discharged – and MSW
services are no longer available to them
– and when community services take
over when they reach home. This was
especially true of elderly and single
patients who lack family support.
“When patients under our medical
social workers are discharged from the
hospitals, there is a time lapse before
the community services reach them.
This could take up to two weeks and the
patients may be without the necessary
support during this period,” she said.
When she was given extra staffing
in 2007, Ms Long saw an opportunity
to close this gap by allocating a team
of two to three social workers to follow
up on elderly and single patients
at home.
As a result of these interventions,
patients are properly taken care of before
the much-needed connections via other
community resources and services are
available.
“By closing this gap, we can make
sure that these elderly patients do not
get readmitted to the hospital because
of falls or the lack of support and care.
And my team, headed by Ms Alicia
Tan, has done a great job so far,” Ms
Long said.
“When our patients are discharged
from the hospital, it does not mean they
are out of sight, out of mind.”
Reading the face of crisis
In the face of crisis, someone may wail hysterically while another may
turn stone blank.
Different people react differently to crisis or a traumatic event. Feelings of
grief, sadness, anxiety, fear, anger and a gamut of other emotions may occur
shortly following the event, or they may not occur for some time afterwards.
These feelings may last a very short time, months or even years. In some
people, more serious psychological reactions may develop, which may require
professional help.
You may need help if you:
• Remain highly anxious, tense, confused, empty and exhausted after
four-six weeks.
• Continue to feel numb even after a month.
• Have trouble expressing your feelings or relating to other people.
• Continue to have nightmares and poor sleep.
• Have no one to share your feelings with and feel the need to do so.
• Develop depression or have thoughts of self-harm.
• Suffer badly in your relationships or begin to develop sexual problems.
• Start being accident-prone.
• Begin to smoke or drink excessively or turn to drugs or other forms
of relief.
• Continue to perform badly in your work.
• Experience chronic exhaustion.
Credit Counselling
for serious debt problems
Samaritans of Singapore (SOS)
for crisis and the suicidal
Mon-Fri 9.00am – 6.00pm
24 hours
1800-2255227
1800-2214444
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
❙ 15
Touching hearts
Healthcare professionals often find themselves
going the extra mile to help patients. Even so,
two SGH medical social workers have found
themselves in unusual situations.
Writing his last will
MEDICAL social worker Constance Thong
was physically and emotionally drained
after attending to the family of a dying
13-year-old girl. The last thing she wanted
to do was to attend to another patient at
5.50 pm on a Friday evening.
But the patient, given just 48 hours
more to live, had specifically asked for her.
It was Mr Choo Choon Leong*, a
patient she had been introduced to weeks
earlier but who had promptly disappeared
after. Emaciated by his disease, the slight
50-something sought help.
Mr Choo’s parents were dead and
his relationship with his younger siblings
was strained. He worked as a taxi driver,
then a cleaner, and took part in few social
activities. But he loved reading and spoke
well, said Ms Thong. She had met him only
once before when she was first assigned
to Mr Choo as his MSW to help him cope
with news of his disease.
Now, he wanted Ms Thong to draw up
his will.
“He began by telling me that he has a
25% ownership of a three-room flat, and
money in his CPF (Central Provident Fund)
account. His last wish was to distribute his
assets to his friends and social welfare,”
said Ms Thong.
Stunned, Ms Thong sought advice from
her seniors, who suggested she helped the
patient.
“I went back to him and told him that I
would try to draft a will for him, although
I was concerned the will would not be
accepted, but that I would try my best. He
replied, ‘Thanks.’”
It took another long hour to gather
together his final intentions: What were
the assets available, who are the beneficiaries
and their relationship to him, why was he
giving his money to them, in what proportion
were the assets to be divided, what was his
understanding of social welfare and which
agency did he want to will his money to (later
he withdrew his request to give his money to
social welfare).
Then Ms Thong had to call his friends, the
would-be beneficiaries of the will. She also had
to get a doctor to certify that the patient was
of sound mind. And she had to get witnesses.
Finally, she read the will to the patient to
make sure the content was correct before
it was endorsed with his thumbprint. “He
nodded. But by then, Mr Choo had his oxygen
mask on as he was getting breathless,” said
Ms Thong.
He took off his oxygen mask to bid his
friends farewell, and whispered a gentle “thank
you.”
Mr Choo died the following morning.
“To this day, I do not know if Mr Choo’s
Preserving an old man’s dignity
THE old man had been living with a friend till
he had an amputation at Singapore General
Hospital. His assigned Medical Social Worker
Alicia Tan was given the task of finding the
patient – Mr Kwan Tang Seng* – a home.
It wasn’t easy. Although wheelchair-bound,
he was mobile and independent, meaning no
nursing home would take him. In his 70s, he was
considered too old for homes for the disabled,
while sheltered homes had no vacancies. The
easy way out would have been to leave Mr
Kwan to convalesce in the hospital until a bed
or home became available.
Yet the patient had displayed such a neversay-die attitude that Ms Tan felt she couldn’t
allow him to be “institutionalised.”
Alicia Tan (left) and Constance Thong
Crying out for help
By calling in to broach the subject of
organ donation, “it was a sign and cry
for help,” said MSS Head Ms Long
Chey May.
He was subsequently counselled by
medical social workers who talked him
out of suicide. According to Ms Long,
“financial woes had been the cause
of the man’s problems,” leading to an
She decided on another route. She
looked for someone for the patient to
share a flat with. Luckily, she found another
elderly man with no kin looking for a place
to stay.
“We had to apply for leave from hospital
to take him to HDB to apply and select
a flat. When it was approved, we had to
get PUB and Town Council to fax over
application forms so that he could have
electricity, etc.,” said Ms Tan.
There were also furniture and other
home appliances to look for. Fortunately, “a
very nice Samaritan - Eugene - and his son
helped pick up and deliver the furniture to
the patient’s new flat. My hubby and I went
to buy household cleaning items to clean
up the place and also got him new mattress
and bedsheets.”
“We wanted to arrange everything in
place so that he could have a nice home
before the patient was discharged,” said
Ms Tan.
Medical social workers help patients
make a smooth transition from the hospital
back to the community, and their job can
include referrals to community hospitals,
nursing homes, hospices, shelter homes,
day care centres, senior activity centres,
home-help and befriending services.
But for Ms Tan, who provided help
beyond finding the patient a home, her
job is difficult to define. “There is really no
answer on where we start and where we
stop. For his case, no one wanted to take
him,” she said.
To show his appreciation, Mr Kwan gave
Ms Tan a carton of oranges and ‘bak kwa,’
the traditional barbequed meats, for
Chinese New Year. She visits him
occasionally and he looks for her when he
goes to SGH for treatment.
“You could say that it is my calling. I love
being a social worker, to be able to help
others,” said 28-year-old Ms Tan. “Helping
patients like Mr Kwan live the rest of his life
with dignity in his own home just makes it
all the more meaningful!”
*Names have been changed.
By Aaron Loh
An unusual call to donate his organs raised suspicions,
and the man was instead referred to MSS. Medical
social workers managed to counsel the heavily
indebted man out of suicide. Different people react
differently to crises, and an understanding of how
people respond to problems and stress,and where help
could be found, could help avert tragedies around the
workplace and at home.
The man called the National Organ
Transplant Unit to donate his organs.
But his wish to donate wasn’t rooted
in altruism, but stemmed from a desire
to die, staff at the unit found. Realising
the man had lost his will to live, the
unit’s staff immediately referred him to
Singapore General Hospital’s Medical
Social Services (MSS).
friends managed to get their inheritance. But
I knew they took care of Mr Choo’s last rites
and that within that short period of time, I did
what I could for him. Of course, I wished that
the will could be legally accepted so that Mr
Choo’s last wish of distributing his assets to
his friends could be fulfilled. But his friends
indicated that they had no wish to claim his
assets and that they would go ahead to help
him plan for his funeral even if he had not
made any will,” she said.
overwhelming sense of despair which
pushed him towards the brink.
Such cases can be expected to rise
with financial markets falling sharply,
dragging economies into recession and
hurting consumer confidence.
“Different people react to crises
differently, and different people will
react to financial woes differently,”
Ms Long said.
The important thing is to recognise
the signs that the person’s reaction
to a crisis may be veering towards
desperation, and an inability to cope.
In this, the most emotional people
may not be the ones who most need
help in coping with problems.
“Some people may be in trouble
and they just keep quiet and keep to
themselves. They may already have
suicidal thoughts although they do not
voice it out. Similarly, those who are
emotive with emotional outbursts may
be un-bottling their feelings, which can
be positive,” Ms Long said.
Seeking help with problems that one
may not be able to deal with competently
on one’s own is an important next step.
However, those in financial distress
often turn to luck and lottery, hoping
for a quick-fix solution. “To them, this is
buying a chance, and a hope of turning
things around,” said Ms Long.
Ironically, she added, “some of those
who come and see us often spend a
few hundred dollars a month on 4D
and cigarettes,” which could lead to a
snowballing of financial problems for a
person short of cash.
16 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
Knowledge
trails from
clinical trials
Clinical trials are gateways to potential treatments
but patients need to be clear about the procedures,
their purpose, risks and benefits.
Bouquets
❙ 17
“
The article by Mr Lim Mun Moon (Head, Pharmacy)
in the Nov/Dec 2008 issue of OutramNow on ‘Generic and
Brand Name Drugs’ was both educational and timely given
the prevailing deepening financial crisis and recession.
It is indeed reassuring to know that the two drug
types, whilst vastly different in their respective market
prices, “confer equal and similar therapeutic benefits and
associated risks as they contain the same active ingredients
in equivalent quantities and are subjected to stringent standards of Good Manufacturing
Practice”. In this regard, the role played by Singapore Health Sciences Authority cannot
be over-emphasised.
OutramNow will render its readers a great service if it can make known the names of
those brand name drugs and their counterpart generic ones in future issues, should the
latter be available in the Singapore market. Thank you.
- Mrs Ng Soo Kheng
”
Reply from Head of Pharmacy Mr Lim Mun Moon
Thank you for your interest. The list is rather long, as all drugs eventually go off-patent.
Here is a list of some common drugs which have gone off patent over the last 10-15 years.
Proprietary Name
Generic Name
Adalat
Nifedipine
Augmentin
Co-amoxiclav
Ciprobay
Ciprofloxacin
Clarityne
Loratidine
Diflucan
Fluconazole
Losec
Omeprazole
Norvasc
Amlodipine
One-Alpha
Alfacalcidol
Pravachol
Pravastatin
Prozac
Fluoxetine
Risperdal
Risperidone
Zantac
Ranitidine
Zestril
Lisinopril
Zocor
Simvastatin
Zovirax
Aciclovir
WeHearYou
PATIENTS can be easily tempted to
volunteer for clinical trials that might
offer them a new lease of life but there
are stringent recruitment guidelines to
prevent trial errors.
“Some research studies seek
participants with illnesses or conditions
to be studied in the clinical trial while
others need healthy volunteers,” said
Ms Ong Siok Luan, Manager of the
Clinical Trials Resource Centre at
Singapore General Hospital.
“It is important to note that inclusion
and exclusion criteria are not used to
reject people personally but rather to
protect their safety while ensuring that
the researchers will be able to answer
the questions they plan to study.”
Participants in clinical trials play a
more dynamic role in their own health
care, gain access to new treatments
before they are widely available and
help others by contributing to medical
research. There is no contract so they
are free to withdraw from trials at any
time without penalties.
All clinical trials in Singapore must
be approved by an Institutional Review
Board (IRB)/ Ethics Committee (EC).
The IRB checks that the clinical trials
are ethical and the participants’ rights,
safety, confidentiality and well-being
are being protected. In addition, it also
monitors trials for compliancy with the
International Good Clinical Practice.
While participating in clinical trials
sound like a good deal, it should be
noted that the research treatments are
not guaranteed cures for ailments.
Said Ms Ong: “The experimental
treatment being tested may or may not
help you. You may get better, get worse
or you may see no change. In some
cases, there can be some unpleasant,
serious or even life-threatening side
effects during the treatment course.”
Interested parties should find out
more about the trial procedures and
feel comfortable asking the healthcare
team about it. They will also be given
sufficient time to think before making
an informed consent.
Why do I have
to leave the room
when the mobile
X-ray team comes?
Recently when I visited a
patient, I was asked to leave
the room when a mobile
X-ray team visited. However, I
noticed other patients in the
same room were not moved.
Why is this?
IN SOME cases, patients are
medically unfit to leave the ward
for X-rays. The attending physician
will therefore request for mobile
radiography for them.
A mobile radiography team
consists of a radiographer, healthcare
assistant and a mobile X-ray
machine.
Mobile X-rays are generally for
the chest and are localised. Before
proceeding with the X-ray, the
radiography team will ask visitors
to leave the room so that they don’t
get in the way of the procedure and
receive stray radiation.
However, patients in adjacent
beds are allowed to remain where
they are. This is because the amount
of stray radiation that they receive
from the mobile X-ray is very small.
It can be compared to the natural
background radiation that we receive
continuously from the ground and
sky every day.
If you have a query about hospital processes, email sghfeedback@sgh.com.sg
18 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Kidney transplant gave her back to her family Happy 3rd
“I don’t know how long this kidney now to spend time with them and just Birthday,Lumpkid!
will last, but I will live my life well
and not take things for granted,” said
Vanitha, “It’s a second chance at life and
I can do so much with it.”
Family life back on track
The transplant didn’t just free her
from dialysis. More importantly, after
more than 15 years, she is able to spend
time with her husband and her children,
and to be a family again. “My daughters
are all teenagers now and this is the
time they really need me to be around
to guide them as they grow up to be
young women. I think it’s the best time
have girl time.”
Vanitha – who admitted to getting
very emotional about the topic –
credits her husband of almost 20 years
for keeping her going all these years.
“He took care of the kids all this time
and showed me such great love and
support,” she said tearily. “He used to
send me to dialysis and now, takes leave
to accompany me on hospital visits.”
The loving couple goes on dates often.
Added Vanitha, “He has always been
there for me, and now I can be there
for him and my girls. We have such
good times.”
Since
then,
I’ve
readjusted my perspective
on life somewhat. I take
life a little easier and make
the effort to count my
blessings daily. A former
journalist, I’ve given up full
time work in order to have
time to care for myself. I
continue to go to the gym,
and have taken up running
– something I never used
to do (and hated). I won’t
say I love it now, but it’s
good mental and physical discipline
for me. Every year, I do something new
for myself to celebrate each new year
of good health. I rock-climbed one
year (despite my phobia
of heights), ran my first
10km another year and
recently attempted my
first half marathon in
December.
I’ve sometimes called
my kidney failure a gift
which shaped my life
in many ways and has
helped me to appreciate
and embrace life with
vigour. But the true gift
was from Alphonsus.
FromTheHeart
Falling for renal medicine
After witnessing the plight of patients with kidney disease, and the devotion of senior doctors to their patients,
one young medical officer decided to make renal medicine his life’s work.
By Dr Terence Kee
Life as a renal registrar is not
an easy road to take but it was
love at first sight for me.
I first encountered the
discipline in 1996, when I was
sent to the Department of
Renal Medicine for one of my
earliest postings as a first-year
Singapore General Hospital
medical officer. The workload
was among the heaviest among
hospital’s departments, but I
was drawn to the complexity
of the specialty and the lifelong relationships fostered
between patients, their families
and the renal physician. I was
also drawn to the plight of
many patients with kidney
disease and the psychosocial
difficulties they faced in
an illness that was chronic,
uncomfortable, expensive and
often lonely.
My involvement in this specialty
deepened when I joined SGH’s
Department of Renal Medicine as a
registrar in May 2001, after completing
my membership for the Royal College
of Physician in Edinburgh in October
2000. In those days, we had to respond
to referrals not only from SGH, but
also Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Changi
General Hospital as well as KK Women
and Children Hospital.
I can still vividly remember the
many wee hours of the mornings when
I dashed between hospitals to see
critically ill patients with kidney failure.
Despite the hardship, the intense
inspired me to take up
transplantation nephrology
as a sub-specialty. I had seen
how a kidney transplant
renewed life and wanted
to be part of that lifetransforming process: Young
people were able to return to
school as successful scholars,
women were able to bear
children, and men whose
pride and self-worth were
restored when they were able
to return to the work-force.
workload accelerated my training in
renal medicine and I never failed to
receive encouragement and advice from
my consultants from the department.
In 2003, I obtained specialist
accreditation as a renal medicine
specialist and spent the following year
training at Australia’s top transplant
center, Westmead Hospital. Since my
return to SGH, I have been engaged
in the kidney transplant programme,
supervising its operations when my
mentor and then Director of Renal
Transplant Programme, Professor
Vathsala A, left in April 2008.
It was Professor Vathsala who
Studies: Risks of developing
kidney failure aren’t higher
for living kidney donors
The kidney transplant
programme has come a long
way. At SGH, we have an
armamentarium of machines
and
immunosuppressive
drugs that allow us to
cross
previously
insurmountable
immunological barriers such as
transplantation across different blood
groups and a positive cross match.
But many challenges to the
programme remain. As programme
administrator, I feel one major issue
is the promotion of altruistic living
kidney donation.
Living kidney donor transplantation
is the preferred treatment option for
patients with end-stage kidney failure
but only 25% of all kidney transplants
performed at SGH are from living
kidney donors. This procedure can be
performed before the start of dialysis,
and at a time convenient to both donor
and recipient. More importantly, the
results, compared to deceased donor
kidney transplants, are superior.
Like all surgeries, the procedure holds
risks for the donor. But there is more
than sufficient evidence to show that
living kidney donors aren’t exposed to a
higher risk of developing kidney failure
compared to the general population.
The vast majority of donors also feel
good about themselves for donating a
kidney to their loved ones.
However, patients with kidney
failure often choose to bear the
burden of the disease themselves
and living kidney donation remains
misunderstood by many. Thus, another
challenge is to educate patients and
their families on living kidney donor
transplantation, and hopefully increase
the rate of altruistic living kidney
donor transplants at SGH.
I have been in SGH for 12 years.
It has taught me that life is short and
unpredictable. If SGH gives you the
opportunity to make a difference, take
it before you lose it. I think that is what
SGH is all about – making a difference
to patients and their families.
Dr Kee is
Consultant at the
Department of
Renal Medicine.
❙ 19
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
Organ shortage a pressing problem
Many patients with end-stage
organ failure remain on the waiting
list as demand for organs for
transplant continues to outstrip
supply, especially for kidneys because
of the high rates of some common
diseases such as heart disease and
diabetes.
In 2007, 84 patients were
removed from the kidney, liver and
heart waiting lists because they
either have died, became too old or
too sick for a transplant. As of Dec
31, 2007, 563 patients were on the
transplant waiting list for a kidney,
25 for a cornea, nine for liver, and
seven for a heart. Since July 1970
when the first transplant using a
cadaveric kidney was performed in
Singapore, as many as 2000 people
have received organs.
But concerns regarding an after-life
without all of one’s organs continue
to hinder deceased donor donation,
as do myths regarding health,
vigour and lifespan with a single
functioning kidney. Experience from
other countries has shown that organ
donation can only be successful if it is
seen and accepted by society as a way
of life, as something which is not just
a “gift” to a stranger or a loved one,
but an essential for the preservation
of human society.
DidYouKnow
The number of people given a fresh lease of life
through
transplants The number of
transplants at Outram Campus
891
Bone Marrow 2,500
42
1,189
Cornea
Heart
Kidney
21
Liver 8 Lung Transplant Milestones
1960s
1961
The first renal unit is established.
The first hemodialysis is
performed on a patient with
acute renal failure, using Travenol
twin coil artificial kidney. Dialysis
time? A lengthy 12 hours.
Renewing life
through the years
1990s
1962
The first corneal transplant is
performed using cornea from the
Washington International Eye
Bank on a 20-year-old woman
with Band Keratopathy disease.
1990
The first heart transplant is
performed.
1963
The first peritoneal dialysis is
performed at SGH.
1964
A road traffic accident victim
becomes the first local eye donor.
1980s
1983
The first kidney transplant patient
successfully gives birth, to a baby
girl, 11 months after receiving a
kidney from a deceased donor.
1970s
1970
Kidney from a deceased donor is
used for transplant for the first
time. The 30-year-old Chinese
housewife lived with excellent
kidney function for another
21 years before dying of other
causes.
1976
The first living-related kidney
transplant is performed at SGH.
1985
The first syngeneic bone marrow
(BMT) transplant, using stem
cells from an identical twin, is
performed.
The first allogeneic bone marrow
transplant, using stem cells from
someone else, is performed.
1988
The first Autologous Peripheral
Blood Stem cell Transplant
(PBSCT), using the patient’s own
stem cells, is performed.
1991
The first living spouse-to-spouse
kidney transplant is performed.
The first kidney transplant is
performed in a patient with
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, an
auto immune disease.
1992
A woman receiving dialysis at SGH
successfully gives birth.
The first kidney transplant is
performed in a patient with
diabetes mellitus.
1994
The 500th kidney transplant is
performed at SGH.
The first matched unrelated donor
BMT is performed at SGH.
1995
The first Allogeneic PBSCT, first
Autologous PBSCT for nonHaematological Disease, are
performed.
1998
The first cord blood stem cell
transplant is performed at SGH.
1999
The 1,000th kidney transplant is
performed at SGH.
The first Non-Myeloablative
Allogeneic PBSCT is performed.
2000
2000
The first lung transplant is
performed.
2005
Kidney transplants are performed
across positive cross matches,
allowing patients to receive
donors from previously
incompatible donors.
The first Allogeneic PBSCT for
Non-Haematological Disease is
performed.
2006
The first deceased liver
transplant is performed
The first living donor liver
transplant is performed
2007
Kidney transplants from deceased
donors are performed across
positive cross matches.
2008
The first Non-Myeloablative
Allogeneic PBSCT with
haplo-identical donor is
performed.
20 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
Family matters in breast cancer prevention
BREAST cancer is a disease that is
easily detected by simple screening and
has high rates of treatment success when
diagnosed early. Despite this, the number
and frequency of women going for breast
cancer screening remain low. Less than
half the women in Singapore aged 50 to
69 undergo regular screening.
This is a worrying trend as the rate
of breast cancer has leapt exponentially.
The number of new cases diagnosed
during the five-year period between
1968-1972 and 2003-2007 rose from
627 to 6,773. Significantly, breast cancer
deaths for the respective time frames
jumped from 193 to 1,566.
To arrest this trend, the Breast Cancer
Awareness Month Committee made
prevention a key message in last year’s
campaign activities.
The 11th annual campaign, ‘The
Women in our Lives,’ emphasised the
strong role family members can take to
promote early and regular screening.
According to campaign committee
chairperson Dr Ho Gay Hui, the
motivation from
family members
reminds women
that there are
people in their lives
who care for them.
Dr Ho, a Senior
Consultant and
Breast Surgeon
at the National
Cancer
Centre
Singapore, said in
the event of cancer
diagnosis, patients
with a supportive Participants of the “Pink Bridges” mass walk hamming it up during
game, where each team had to dress up a representative as a
family also tend to a
woman who has inspired them.
do better.
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) Park was held for breast cancer survivors
offered all-year subsidised mammograms and their families on Oct 25. Some
at polyclinics. HPB Director for 300 participants, including healthcare
Healthy Ageing Division Dr Shyamala professionals, crossed illuminated “Pink
Thilagaratnam noted mammography Bridges,” an act symbolic of the “many
is “the most effective tool” in the early treacherous crossings in life that patients,
families and healthcare partners have to
detection of breast cancer.
To cap off the campaign, a 3-km endure in their fight against breast cancer
mass walk from Mount Faber to Hort together,” said Dr Ho.
Lending support
Public education
to target men too
The term ‘breast cancer’ may be
well-known, but a survey by Changi
General Hospital (CGH) found a large
knowledge gap on the condition itself.
Many misconceptions were prevalent
among the 2,000 Asian women and men
polled. Only 60% of the women and 48%
of men were able to list at least one
symptom of breast cancer correctly.
Four in 10 women falsely thought
having small breasts meant no risk of
breast cancer while five in 10 men had
this misconception. Half of the women
also believed the removal of the entire
breast was the only treatment.
This knowledge gap is worrying,
said Dr Tan Su-Ming, Chief and Senior
Consultant of CGH’s Department of
Surgery, and it could be the reason why
about one in four new cases are only
diagnosed at the late stage.
The fact that men have poorer
knowledge than women is significant as
many Asian households leave important
decisions in health matters to the male
relative.
This calls for more targeted public
education on the disease – for both
men and women.
Contact
Freddy Neo at Exxon Mobil at 6508-2520 or 9821-2415
Link
www.bsgspore.com
Name
Parkinson’s Disease Support Group
Name
Blossoms, the Breast Cancer Support Group
Led by
SGH
Led by
Breast Care Nurse Clinician Mdm N Saraswathi
Membership
Membership
Women who have undergone breast surgery
Activities
Meetings on the second Wednesday of every month to discuss events
and for peer support. Survivors meet post-operative patients from
Tuesdays to Fridays to provide emotional support and encouragement.
Survivors also meet post-surgery patients who have been discharged for
educational programmes on the last Wednesday of each month to share
their experiences on the side effects of treatment and how they coped
with their disease. These educational programmes were started in 1992.
Patients and care givers
Meets first Monday of the month (if it is a public holiday, the meeting
will be moved to the following Monday) from 11am to 1pm.
Advanced Practice Nurse Tan Siok Bee at 81253543
ww.sgh.com.sg/ForPatientsnVisitors/ServicesGuide/SupportGroups/
www.parkinsonsingapore.com for Parkinson’s Disease Society of Singapore
Activities
Contact
Link
Name
Heart/Lung Transplant Patient Support Group
Dr Lim Chong Hee, Heart & Lung Tranplant Programme
Pre-and post-transplant patients and their families
To provide emotional support and facilitate information exchange on
post-transplant care. Group meetings at the National Heart Centre
every two months.
Heart/Lung Transplant Programme Manager Kerk Ka Lee at 6436-7689
or 8123-0287
www.nhc.com.sg/ForPatientsNVisitors/PatientSupportGroup
HeartandLungTransplantPatientSupportGroup/
Contact
Breast Care Nurse Clinician Mdm N Saraswathi at 6321-4474
Led by
Link
www.sgh.com.sg/ForPatientsnVisitors/ServicesGuide/SupportGroups/
Membership
Name
Light Weight Club Support Group
Led by
Contact
Nurse Clinician Khong Kum Chue
Parents of pre-term infants or low birth weight babies (under 2kg)
born in SGH
Group provides parents with support and guidance during the baby’s
early development.
Nurse Clinician Khong Kum Chue at 6321-4540
Link
www.sgh.com.sg/ForPatientsnVisitors/ServicesGuide/SupportGroups/
Membership
Activities
Activities
Contact
Link
Name
Name
Stroke Club
Led by
Singapore National Stroke Association and SGH
Membership
Stroke survivors and care givers
Link
Meets every third Thursday of even months from 3pm to 4.30 pm at
Ward 74 to discuss physical, mental, social, emotional and financial
aspects of post-stroke care.
Advanced Practice Nurse Tan Siok Bee at 81253543, or Singapore National
Stroke Association at 6358-4138, email sporensa@singnet.com.sg
www.sgh.com.sg/ForPatientsnVisitors/ServicesGuide/SupportGroups/
Name
Burns Support Group
Led by
Exxon Mobil and SGH
Supported by
ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Chevron Oronite Pte Ltd and SGH
Membership
Burn injury survivors
Activities
Survivors visit burns patients at home and in the ward to offer emotional
support; annual social gatherings for survivors and public forums to
raise burns awareness.
Activities
Contact
Led by
Membership
Activities
Contact
Link
Several support groups facilitated by the National Cancer Centre
Singapore (NCCS) including the Breast Cancer, Lymphoma,
Nasopharyngeal Cancer, Obstetrics & Gynaecology Cancer, Mandarin,
Malay support groups; The Revival Connection for patients with
advanced and recurrent cancers; and The Growth Club for families who
have lost their loved ones.
Helen Hee, Lam Lai Ore and Medical Social Worker (MSW) Brandon
Goh for The Revival Connection; Teo Thiam Chye, Lim Wai Cheng and
MSW Travis Loh for NPC patients; MSWs Gilbert Fan and Brandon
Goh for Lymphoma Patients; Adeline Ang and MSW Brandon Goh for
The Growth Club; Jenny Teo and MSW Jamie Woon for Mandarinspeaking cancer patients, survivors and caregivers; Norasmah Md Eunos
and MSW Serene Tan for Malay-speaking cancer patients, survivors and
caregivers; MSW Gilbert Fan for Patient Volunteers.
Patients and their families
To share information on cancer treatment and management, caring for
a loved one, issues with readjustment and healthy lifestyle. Groups plan
activities that will enrich participants coping with cancer and provide an
avenue for them to obtain support from other patients/family members
with similar concerns.
6436-8117
mss@nccs.com.sg
therevivalconnection@yahoo.com.sg
www.nccs.com.sg/pat/09.htm
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
Keeping
abreast with
support groups
Support groups are a powerful source of comfort for
patients as they connect with others who have been
or are undergoing the same experiences. OutramNow
kick-starts a series of profiles on the groups at Outram
Campus with Blossoms, the breast cancer awareness
posse.
By Hannah Lin
WHEN Madam Ow Yong Marie,
53, realised she had breast cancer, she
was filled with questions. She did not
smoke or drink and even breastfed her
children after childbirth, which she
thought could ward off the illness.
The possibility of cancer only became
real when she discovered a lump in
her breast and rashes on her nipples.
Diagnosis was confirmed when she was
screened at a breast cancer education
fair organised by Sister N. Saraswathi, a
long-serving nurse from the Singapore
General Hospital (SGH).
Fast forward to today and Madam
Ow Yong Marie is part of Blossoms, a
50-odd strong group of survivors and
another 50-odd nurses from SGH
who devote time to spread breast cancer
awareness. Newly diagnosed breast
cancer patients from SGH are given
the opportunity to join the Blossoms
where mentors offer crucial and timely
counsel to distraught patients.
As Blossom members, the ladies
meet monthly for updates, partake in
educational campaigns and are rostered
to visit patients at SGH during group
exercise sessions from Tuesdays to
Fridays. In addition, they proudly
wear bright pink – official colour of
the breast cancer awareness movement
– T-shirts for outings to bring cheer to
more lives.
From beneficiaries to helpers
The journey is tough for breast cancer
patients from the start of treatment to
remission. Common concerns include
worrying about their inability to care for
the family, deteriorating relationships
with spouses and the rigours of radioand chemotherapy.
Having gone through the same
uncertainties, Blossoms volunteers
are in the best position to guide the
patients. Most of them hide their
battle scars so well you can barely
tell they were ever sick. Likened to a
tribe of silent warriors, these dedicated
volunteers remain compassionate
towards the patients, hoping that they
too will succeed in their fight and join
the ranks of the survivors.
Take Madam Rahmah, a 49-year-old
housewife. “My children were young
when I was diagnosed, and I didn’t
want to die.” After her mastectomy,
her arms were very sore and she wore
baggy clothes to hide the results.
Joining Blossoms gave her courage and
to pay it forward, the active survivor
currently heads the Malay support
group in SGH.
Clearing of doubts with Blossoms
The acceptance of breast cancer
support groups and public education
on self-examination has increased
over the past two decades. Long-time
survivor Jenny Teo, 56, agreed that
breast cancer patients now have greater
access to help and resources. Back then,
breast cancer was not well-known and
she was afraid to seek medical help till
the lump in her breast grew to a large
3.5cm in 1997.
Breast cancer survivor Kate Wong,
67, also recalled her misperception
of fellow cancer patients prior to
joining Blossoms. Diagnosed with the
condition in 2002, she shaved her head
and donned a wig unnecessarily for
her first party with the support group,
thinking she would blend in with
the crowd. A single with her family
based overseas, she panicked when she
encountered health conditions she was
unsure of.
“I had fluid accumulating in my
breast one day and was very worried,”
recalled Ms Wong, who was diagnosed
with breast cancer in 2002. “So I called
Sister S, who came over to help me
remove the fluid.”
Now older and wiser, the feisty
former principal is an active member of
Blossoms as well as the Pink Paddlers,
a local dragon-boating team for breast
cancer survivors.
❙ 21
How Blossoms bloomed
Blossoms was started by Sister N. Saraswathi in 1992 after she completed her
Breast Care Nursing studies in the UK. There were only five patients at the
inaugural meeting but the group has since grown to over 50 volunteers. There
are currently sub-groups for Chinese- and Malay-speaking patients, with one for
singles in the pipeline. Sub-groups are named after flowers such as Orchid, Rose
and Sunflower. The other support group is the Breast Care Nurse Volunteers
group who work together with the survivors.
Members of the breast cancer support group, Blossoms, at their monthly meet-ups
Members meet once a month in
a tutorial room at SGH to discuss
the activities for that year and to
provide peer support. There is also
an educational programme for breast
cancer patients and their caregivers once
a month conducted in various languages.
Activities revolving around support and
celebration such as dances, parties and
sharing sessions are common. Blossoms
members often hand-stitch breast pads
consisting of a skin-tone fabric wrapped
around thick cotton stuffing. Available
in different sizes, they are especially The hand-made breast pads are
a boon to patients who have
useful for patients who have to wait six undergone mastectomies and are
weeks after their mastectomy for their waiting for the completion of their
customised silicon external prosthesis
customised silicon versions.
Taking a step further, the support
group often prepares materials for awareness campaigns or breast cancer booths
in the heartlands such as Hougang and Simei.
Members even travelled to Cambodia earlier this year to promote breast
cancer awareness to the locals.
Sister Saraswathi , who has seen breast cancer patients as young as 17 and
as old as 96, notes a rising prevalence of women in their 30s being diagnosed
and urges women to undergo regular breast screenings for improved chances
of survival.
“Seeing that the energetic women manning the booth are all survivors
reinforces the message that breast cancer can afflict anyone, both young and
old,” she said.
SGH breast care nurse volunteers
collaborate with the Residents’
Committees (RCs) and Community
Centres (CCs) in Singapore to
organise health programmes and
screening for residents at Cheng San
CC, Tampines CC, Changkat CC this
year. They also educate the public
attending churches, mosques and
Hindu temples.
The response to these educational
programmes and seminars is usually
overwhelming. Nevertheless, said
Sister Saraswathi, it is disheartening
Some 17 Blossoms members spread the
to see many women with huge
breast cancer awareness message to
tumours known as fungating wounds
villagers in Cambodia
and advanced cancer.
Blossoms members enjoyed a 3km stroll from Mount Faber Park to Hort Park for the
Pink Bridges Walk in October this year
22 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
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❙ 23
InTheKnow
Myringoplasty to
repair ruptured
eardrum
What is myringoplasty and what does
the procedure involve?
A myringoplasty is a surgical procedure
to repair a perforated eardrum, which
is a thin membrane separating the ear
canal and the middle ear. A perforated
eardrum is often accompanied by
decreased hearing and occasional
discharge. Usually done under general
anaesthesia, the surgery involves a skin
incision to access the eardrum, and a
graft, usually of the patient’s own tissue,
is used to repair the torn eardrum. A
pressure bandage is then applied, usually
for a day, after the operation.
What causes the eardrum to rupture?
A rupture could result from infection or
trauma, such as sudden, loud explosion,
if the ear is hit hard, or if a cotton bud
or stick is pushed too far into the ear
canal. Most eardrum perforations
heal spontaneously within weeks after
rupture. During the healing process the
ear must be protected from water and
trauma. Perforations which do not heal
on their own may require surgery.
What is the general success rate for
this procedure, and what are the
potential risks?
In experienced hands, this procedure has
a high success rate. Complete closure of
the perforation can be achieved in up to
95% of the time. There is a very small
risk that the hearing might get worse
after surgery.
How should the patient prepare for
the procedure?
Care should be taken to prevent
infection such as stopping water from
getting into the ear during a bath.
What about post-surgery care?
The patient normally goes home on
the same day or the day after surgery,
as giddiness may be experienced. The
patient needs to keep the wound and
ears clean and dry to prevent infection.
Air travel is not recommended for
at least a week after surgery, and the
patient should also take care not to blow
the nose too hard. This is because the
middle ear is connected to the nose
by the eustachian tube, which acts to
equalise pressure in the middle ear.
By Associate Professor
Low Wong Kein,
Director, Centre
for Hearing & Ear
Implants and Senior
Consultant, Department
of Otolaryngology,
Singapore General
Hospital
FrontLine
Whatever your problem, she hears you
Fifty-nine year old Regina Heng may have retired in 2006 to help look after her two granddaughters. But the same passion
that kept her in nursing for nearly 40 years brought her back to serve patients in a different way. Back at work after just a
year away, she works three days a week as a senior executive at the Service Quality (SQ) Department’s Feedback unit.
Regina makes use of her familiarity with the hospital’s departments, her strong interpersonal skills, pleasant disposition, and
confidence to soothe frayed tempers. When not working or babysitting, the 2008 Silver Excellence Service Award winner
puts up her feet and watches Korean dramas.
1. What’s your job?
Much of my time is spent handling
feedback. I need to investigate the
causes of the complaints, and then
coordinate with other departments to
craft appropriate responses.
2. What do you like or dislike about
your job?
The job is very challenging as we
have to face patients and their families,
usually when they are at a heightened
emotional state. As a member of the
Service Quality team, we may get their
feedback or complaints in person, over
the phone or in written form.
The job requires someone who is
very confident, who has a positive work
attitude, and who gets deep satisfaction
from solving problems and helping
others. As with any job, it also requires
someone with a strong passion, in this
case, for service quality, and who is
willing to go the extra mile to get the
job done well.
In my department, we have a cohesive
and strong team, which is very important
as they provide support. We often have
to deal with people unhappy with our
services. People giving feedback often
hurl accusations at us, and sometimes
can be verbally abusive.
3. Any notable instances?
A patient was brought by her
husband for admission to the hospital.
They had to wait a few hours for a bed
to be available. On admission to the
ward, they found that the bed wasn’t
ready. By then, the couple was furious.
The husband made his way to SQ
to complain even as the bed was
being made ready, and as his wife
was being settled in. Then, during
the wife’s stay, the husband came
to SQ repeatedly to complain.
Some of the issues appeared to be
very small, yet I gave him my full
attention. I apologised to him for
every complaint, and made sure
problems raised were dealt with
promptly. Updates on investigations
were also relayed to him.
Although I faced a lot of stress
having to deal with this angry
patient, I felt rewarded when after
a few weeks, he sent a ‘thank you’
card. He expressed his gratitude for
listening to him at a time when he
faced a lot of stress.
24 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
EatWell
Braised fish maw
and mushroom
with supreme
broth
This low-cholestrol dish is great for
festive occasions. Fat content can be
further reduced by using a smaller
quantity of fish maw.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 3 hours
INGREDIENTS
Cooking oil 1 tsp
Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and chopped
Dark soy sauce 1 tsp
Dried Chinese mushrooms 30 g
(1 oz), stems removed, soaked to soften
and drained
Ginger 1.5-cm knob, peeled and sliced
Water 200 ml (61/2 fl oz / 4/5 cup)
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground white pepper
A handful of bean sprouts, tailed
Fish maw
Dried fish maw 30 g (1 oz), soaked to
soften and drained
Water 750 ml (24 fl oz / 3 cups)
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground white pepper
Ginger 2.5-cm knob, peeled and cut
into 5 slices
Supreme broth
1 chicken thigh, skinned
Water 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups)
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground white pepper
Corn flour (cornstarch) 2 tsp, mixed
with 1 tbsp water
Lavender
cookies
Lavender lends a unique sweetness
and fragrance to these easy-to-make
cookies. Serve at tea-time, with a cup
of herbal or floral tea of your choice.
Makes about 10 cookies
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
Cake flour 220 g (8 oz)
Low-fat margarine 100 g (31/2 oz),
softened at room temperature
Icing (confectioner’s) sugar 50 g
(13/4 oz)
Dried lavender 1 tsp, finely chopped
MEthod
1. Preheat oven to 190°C (370°F).
2. Sift cake flour into a mixing bowl
and set aside.
MEthod
1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat
and fry garlic until fragrant. Add
dark soy sauce and mushrooms and
stir-fry for 3–5 minutes, then add
ginger slices, water, salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to low and leave to
simmer for 30 minutes. Remove
from heat, strain and set aside.
2. Prepare fish maw. In a pot, combine
fish maw, water, salt, pepper and
ginger and bring to a gentle simmer
over low heat for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain.
Squeeze fish maw to get rid of
excess liquid and set aside.
3. Prepare broth. Place chicken in a
pot and add water. Bring to the boil
and skim off any scum that rises to
the surface. Add salt and pepper,
then reduce heat to low and leave to
simmer for 2 hours. Remove from
heat, strain and discard chicken
or reserve for other uses. Stir in
corn flour mixture until broth is
thickened and set aside.
4. Arrange fish maw and mushrooms
in a serving bowl. Garnish with raw
bean sprouts and ladle broth over.
Serve immediately.
Per serve
Calories
Carbohydrate
Fat
Cholesterol
Fibre
123 kcal
7.2 g
2.5 g
25 mg
0.1 g
3. In a mixer, beat margarine on
medium speed until creamy. Add
flour and lavender and mix into a
dough.
4. Cover dough with plastic wrap and
refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. On a floured work surface, roll
dough out into 1-cm (1/2-in)
thickness and cut out shapes using
desired cutters. Place slightly apart
on a greased baking tray and bake
for 12–15 minutes until cookies are
light golden.
6. Remove cookies from tray and place
on a wire rack to cool completely
before serving or storing in an
airtight container.
Per serve (3 pieces)
Calories
Carbohydrate
Fat
Cholesterol
Fibre
116 kcal
4.4 g
3.3 g
nil
nil
These recipes are from “A Cookbook for Diabetics,” by Changi General Hospital’s Chief Dietitian, Magdalin Cheong, and its Executive Chef, Daniel Yeo.
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
❙ 25
Festive seasons shouldn’t be
occasions for bingeing
The rounds of eating start around December and snowball into the new year, as we party through the major
festivals of Christmas, Deepavali, Hari Raya, and the Lunar New Year. By the time Valentine’s Day rolls around,
we ask our guilt-ridden selves why we don’t have better control over our eating, year after year. Before the
eating gets overly excessive and tips into a disorder, Madam Koay Saw Lan, Head of Dietetics & Nutrition
Services at SGH, suggests ways to deal with festive binge-eating.
6. Start your meal by munching on the healthiest items, leaving less room for the
less healthy ones.
7. Pile on the vegetables. Vegetables give a bulk ‘filling effect,’ helping to prevent
overeating over the course of the day. Moreover, brussels sprouts, leafy
vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots all contain antioxidants,
which can help protect against heart disease and cancer.
8. Replace high-calorie foods with low-fat options or adjust recipes to
incorporate healthier ingredients. When baking, substitute some or all of the
butter or oil with equal volumes of unsweetened applesauce.
1. Look to non-food-related activities such as sports, walking and dancing, to get
friends and family together for a good time, rather than focusing on the food.
2. Eat moderately throughout the day, instead of dieting to “save it all up” for
one big meal. Your blood sugar will be so out of whack, you’ll be tempted to
binge on everything later.
9.
Go easy on processed, convenience and snack foods, and anything that’s high
in salt and sugar. Salt can increase blood pressure which can increase the risk
of heart attacks and stroke. Experiment with herbs and spices to
flavour food.
10. Avoid over-stocking your fridge. Buy enough to celebrate the day but not to last
the many weeks later. Keep healthier choices available.
3. At the buffet table, it’s tempting to want to try everything. You can still enjoy
the variety. Use a smaller plate to hold bite-sized portions of many different
foods. Sometimes, a few bites are enough to satisfy a craving.
4. Eat slowly, and hold off on seconds for at least 20 minutes, the time it takes
for the brain to realise you’re no longer hungry. Listen to your body, and stop
eating and drinking before you have to loosen your belt.
5. Go easy on the alcohol. Alcoholic drinks have an average 150-200 calories
per glass. They impair your judgment and you will be more likely to eat more
of the very foods you are trying to limit. Try mixing half a glass of wine with
sparkling water. Better yet, stick with lower-calorie options such as diet soda,
sparkling or plain water, flavoured with fruit or vegetable juices.
Correction
In the article “Greater awareness of liver cancer” which ran on page 19 of Issue 10, the paragraph following the headline should read “Two public forums were held to raise awareness of the disease and its risk factors, and to promote
prevention via screening and vaccination.”
26 ❙
❙ Jan/Feb 2009
CelebInPerson
Melody maker
By Mary Lim
Local veteran singer S K Poon (or Pan Xiuqiong to
Mandarin-speaking fans) shares the secret to her
lovely voice.
SHE is best known for hits like
Lover’s Tears, I Want To Sing For You
and Bali Island, but S K Poon now
prefers to use her talent to comfort
those in need.
In October last year, Ms Poon
ArtsForHealth Arts Expression presents
Wall flowers by Laura Soon
performed to a crowd of 150 at
the Singapore General Hospital’s
ArtsConcert. Part of the monthly
Arts For Health initiative to bring the
arts to the hospital, it helps creates an
environment conducive for healing
among patients.
Said Ms Poon, who was presented
a Meritorious Award at the 13th
Compass Awards in May last year:
“Everyone will encounter difficulty at
some time in life. If we can share our
fears and problems with one another,
we can help one another overcome such
challenges. I hope my voice and songs
can help remind others that there’s
always hope.”
Why did you decide to participate in
the ArtsConcert?
I’ve been volunteering at hospitals
and homes for the aged. So when
they called to invite me, I said “yes”
immediately. The patients may feel
depressed or bored as they try to cope
with their illness, and I think it’s great
to be able to help offer them some
comfort during this time.
rest is important. It also helps me feel
refreshed the next day. When I’m
home, I watch television or sing. But,
to be honest, I seldom exercise. Most
of my day is spent at church or on
volunteer work at the hospitals and
homes. I also conduct music classes
five days a week.
How do you try to stay healthy?
I have a healthy lifestyle. I wake up
at 6am and go to bed by 11pm. I avoid
nightlife because I think getting enough
Finally, what do you do to chill out?
If I’m not at home, my favourite
activity is to have tea and catch up
with friends.
Are you mindful about your diet
then?
It’s fortunate that I am not
picky about food. I enjoy fruits
and vegetables. I believe that it is
important to practise moderation.
So while I avoid fried stuff on most
days, I do eat them when I’m in the
mood. I don’t take tonics either.
How do you keep your lovely voice
in top condition?
(Laughs) My voice? I think it’s
a gift from God. I think the key
is to use it often. It’s like exercise
– the more often you use it, the
better its condition. No, I don’t take
particularly good care of it; I just try
to drink more water.
HAPPENINGS
Venue: SGH Fountain Garden at Block 7 Level 1
Time : 7pm – 7.45pm
Enchanted Evening with Alvaro Sanchez
“The Maestro”
Date: Jan 16
Come experience an enchanted evening of classical,
Latin American, pop and familiar Singapore songs by
award-winning guitarist and harpist Alvaro Sanchez ‘The
Maestro.’ He has wowed audiences worldwide, and has
performed for dignitaries including Queen Elizabeth of
England, King Juan Carlos of Spain and the President of
Singapore. He has released more than 20 albums.
Date: Dec 1, 2008 to Jan 31, 2009
Dedicated to display artworks by patients and local artists, ArtsExpressions is visual art
space at Block 2 Level 1.
Laura’s work examines the relationship between space, memories and human
experiences. She captures figures which mold into patterns and motifs resembling
old-fashioned wall paper patterns. These are repeated to form a fascinating wall
mural which invites close inspection to determine its minute elements.
About the artist
Laura Soon is a Singapore-born artist, with a Masters of Arts, Fine Arts from
LaSalle College Of The Arts, where she also lectures. Laura has held solo and
group exhibitions locally and overseas, creating two-dimensional tactile works made
up of text and personal iconography. Laura is also one of the founding members of
Plastique Kinetic Worms, which aims to further the development of contemporary
art in Singapore. Since 2004, she has been helping the gallery to manage and
coordinate arts programmes.
Chinese New Year Celebrations
Date: Feb 15
Usher in the Lunar New Year with lion dance
and wushu performances by award-winning gold
medallist Victoria Institution. Be mesmerised
by the ancient art of face-changing; the artiste
changes more than 10 masks in 20 seconds!
Arts for Health aims to provide a quality caring
environment and promote good health in SGH through
the arts. Patients, visitors, staff and the community
can participate in creative arts programmes such as
concerts, workshops and exhibitions that bring healing
to the body, mind and soul.
SGH is the first hospital to receive the National Arts
Council Supporter Awards 2005 in recognition of our
promotional artistic activities.
Jan/Feb 2009 ❙
Thank You
CalendarOfEvents
Effective Pain Management
for Chronic & Cancer Pain
慢性与癌症疼痛有效的治疗
Date: 17 January 2009, Saturday (1 月17日2009，星期六)
Venue:SGH Postgraduate Medical Institute
Singapore General Hospital
Block 6 Level 1, Outram Road
FREE
Admission
入场免费
ation
Pre-registr
d
e
ir
u
q
re
名
报
先
预
需
With grateful appreciation to our generous donors and corporate
partners for their contributions towards our Endowment Fund and SGH
Needy Patients Fund in 2008.
Donors above $10,000
PROGRAMME
1200
Registration / 登记
English Session with Bilingual
Text Presentation
1255
英语讲述附上华文字幕
Opening Remarks
Dr Tan Kian Hian, Director
Pain Management Centre
陈建宪医生, 疼痛中心主任
疼痛治疗中心
1300
Cancer Pain
Dr Tan Kian Hian, Director
Pain Management Centre
癌症疼痛
陈建宪医生, 疼痛中心主任
疼痛治疗中心
1320
Back Pain
Dr Michelle Tan, Consultant
Pain Management Centre
背部疼痛 －原因与治疗
陈月燕医生, 顾问医生
疼痛治疗中心
Chronic Abdominal Pain
Dr Jane George, Senior
Consultant
Pain Management Centre
慢性腹部疼痛
Dr Jane George, 高级顾问医生
疼痛治疗中心
Corporate Partners
Baxter Healthcare (Asia) Pte Ltd
Estate of Mabel Wee
ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
Khoo Kim Geok Jacqueline
Toh Kian Chui Foundation
Xu Wei Yao
TIME
Amara Singapore
Grand Plaza Park Hotel City Hall
Leo Pharma Asia Pte Ltd
Naumi Hotel
Polar Puffs and Cakes
Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan
Contest
Five cookbooks up for grabs
Does diabetes condemn the food lover to a diet of
bland, cardboard-like food? As a diabetic, should one
cut out sugar completely from his diet?
Dietitian Magdalin Cheong and Executive Chef
Daniel Yeo, of the Changi General Hospital Dietetic
and Food Services team present a cookbook written
exclusively for diabetics, with detailed information
on how to manage diabetes and 60 recipes that are
delicious as they are nourishing.
To win this book, answer this question:
1400
Q & A / 问答交流 (Bilingual/ 双语)
Support groups are a powerful source
of comfort and sharing for patients as
they connect with others who have
been or are undergoing the same
experiences.
1430
Tea Break / 茶点
TRUE/ FALSE
1340
1500
1530
华语讲座
Chinese Session with Bilingual
Text Presentation
慢性与癌症疼痛的最新进展
陈建宪医生, 疼痛中心主任
疼痛治疗中心
Latest Advances in Chronic and
Cancer Pain Management
Dr Tan Kian Hian, Director
Pain Management Centre
针灸与疼痛 - 针灸真的有效
吗？
崔淑丽, 高级顾问医师
疼痛中心, 针灸门诊
Use of Acupuncture in Pain – Is
It Effective?
Cui Shu Li, Senior Principal
Acupuncturist
Pain Management Centre,
Acupuncture Services
A3-Poster-S1 5/18/07 12:40 PM Page 1
❙ 27
1600
问答交流 / Q & A (Bilingual/ 双语)
1630
End / 结束
Email your reply, name, address and contact number to editor@sgh.com.sg
Date: Feb10, 2009
* Duplicate entries will be disqualified.
* All correct entries will be entered into a lucky draw to be conducted at the SGH Communications Office.
* Five winners will be picked and notified by email on the collection of their prizes.
* Their names will be published in the next issue of OutramNow.
Contest Results
Results of the contest “Behind the Stethoscope” in OutramNow November/
December 2008 Issue 10.
The answer is TRUE. SingHealth’s Group Procurement Office adopts prudent procurement
strategies, helping to generate savings over $90 million in the past five years.
The following winners have been notified via email.
Pre – registration is required by 14 January 2009. Seats available on a firstcome-first-served basis. To register, email to pgmi.pf@sgh.com.sg or call 6326
6944 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Ng Jun Jie • Chan Kai Choe • Marina Dewi • Noraini Binte Mohd Dawood• Cheong Kum Foong
Prizes must be claimed by February15, 2009
We need your help, urgently.
help, urgently.
需在1 月14日之前于办公时间拨电 6326 6944， 或电邮 pgmi.pf@sgh.com.sg 报名。
FRE
FR
Organised by SGH Pain Management Centre.
FR
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