Club Rainbow (Singapore) Family Retreat 2023

This year, Club Rainbow (Singapore) (CRS) is back with our annual family cruise trip this year! The specially curated event is open to all CRS beneficiaries and their immediate family members only. To ensure that all families get the opportunity to be part of the Club Rainbow Family Retreat experience, priority was given to families who have not been on any CRS-organised overseas family retreat event or cruise in the past. 

During this 4D3N cruise getaway, the workshops and activities organised by CRS on board were for the beneficiaries and families to unwind, learn and forge new friendships.

Our first stop of the getaway, was at Toa Payoh Safra, our families and beneficiaries gathered and play some ice-breaker activities. The different activities had both our beneficiaries and their family members to get up and about to complete their Bingo Sheet. A little competitive spirit is always good, as the families compete against each other to see which team is able to build the tallest structure.

One of the highlights of the 3-Day programme is the self-care programme for the caregivers on Day 2. The session was well received by caregivers, with many sharing that it was very calming, the programme allowed them to self-reflect and open up a new perspective as they look forward in the future. Shared by one of the immediate families of our beneficiaries, “ It is good to have some me time and to self reflect, the activities were useful for us to get back in touch with ourselves and learned that i can be a pillar for my children and at the same time be myself” .

One of the popular activities from the programme is called “Our Wishing Star”, a DIY keychain with folded stars carrying the wishes and hopes that the parents have for their children. Many found that the wishing star was a good and simple way to give their best wishes and hopes to their kids.

Ending the Day 2 programs with a session on self-reflection, our caregivers wrote post cards to themselves. A number of the caregivers has expressed that it allowed them to get to know themselves even better. “ Reflective and recognize our own achievements” shared by one of the caregivers. Sharing a similar mindset, Mdm Ong shared “ they unleash our emotions, thoughts and allows us to express in our own ways.”

The last day activity called for good teamwork, family bonding and getting their creative juices flowing with Club Rainbow Fashion Show! “ Our family had fun and enjoyed bonding time together! ” said Mdm Ong. Through the activity, caregivers have also learned something about their kid that they did not know before. “ My children has a very good team oriented personal” shared by one of the caregivers of our CRS beneficiary.

Through this family retreat, all families have shared that it was a good and fun experience as they got to spend time together as a family, became more close knitted than ever before and also had a enjoyable time participating in the different activities and meeting other Club Rainbow families.

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Celebrating Heroes 2023: Beacon of Hope

365 DAYS, 4 COMMENDABLE SIBLINGS, 3 SELFLESS CAREGIVERS AND 1 OUTSTANDING SIBLING WITH ONE COMMON MOTIVATION – A LOVED ONE.

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Celebrating Heroes, an original event by Club Rainbow (Singapore) has been honouring countless caregivers and siblings over the decade. Taking a hiatus from 2021, we continue to recognise these heroes walking in our midst.

Starting as Caregivers Appreciation Day, the event evolved to Celebrating Heroes (CH) in 2015, where the first Exemplary Caregiver Award was presented. Whilst the common saying goes ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ but the most important support comes together as a family unit. Siblings are often forgettable when immediate priorities surround children with chronic illnesses. Acknowledging these young ones as part of the core support system of the family, we appreciate outstanding siblings too who share the daily responsibilities of caring for their brother or sister together with their parents.

Exemplary Caregiver Awardees Panel Discussion

This year, we received numerous nominations for many caregivers and siblings from all walks of life and even ages. After many tear-jerking encounters from the interviews with nominated caregivers and siblings, we are proud to share this year’s Celebrating Heroes 2023: The Beacons of Hope – 1 commendable sibling, 3 selfless caregivers and 4 outstanding siblings! These awardees are true representatives of the many caregivers and siblings of Club Rainbow who give their time selflessly to their loved ones.

Joanna Yap and her daughter Amelia, Exemplary Caregiver Awardee

Meet Joanna Yap, mother to Amelia and one of the Exemplary Caregiver Awardees. To help Amelia reach her fullest potential, she spares no expenses in finding activities, interventions and different resources that will be able to enrich Amelia in her swimming abilities and baking skills. From enlisting the help of her friends to impart baking skills and bible knowledge to Amelia so that she will be able to learn things that are outside of her school curriculum. To developing Amelia’s passion in baking and now enrolled in a pastry course in Delta Senior School.

She has done a lot beyond just being a mother; ensuring that Amelia works towards the goal of becoming a national swimmer; becoming a kindergarten teacher so she could be better equipped to teach Amelia.

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Exemplary Sibling Awardee, Wen Xin

As much as Wen Xin remembers, her brother was born normal and she always loved playing with him, taking care of him and being the older sister. At the age of 6, Wen Jie was diagnosed with a rare condition, leukodystrophy. He then received a bone marrow transplant operation: however, after the operation his condition deteriorated and began to lose his speech, sight and physical ability.

Wen Xin shows great responsibility in caring for Wen Jie especially when their parents are not around, Watching her brother’s lost of ability first hand at a young age has caused her lots of distress growing up, needing the help of art therapy. However, she uses these experiences to share and help others who are going through similar situations.

Now at the age of 18, Wen Xin is one of the- Exemplary Sibling Awardees. She is helping Wen Jie with his daily needs like suctioning and NGT feeding. She is not only able to take care of Wen Jie but her other younger brother as well. She is also a part of our programme, Youths for Rare, where she took part in a human library project with NUS and NTU school of medicine where she shared her journey with Wen Jie to medical students, showing great determination and courage to fight alongside her brother.

To hear more of our awardees, watch the Celebrating Heroes 2023 videos here:

Exemplary Caregiver Award 2023

Exemplary Sibling Award 2023

Baking: The New Black for Self-care Activity in 2023?

Like many other caregivers of Club Rainbow beneficiaries, Mr Lim, from the chemical logistics industry, has been providing tender care for his youngest son, Jun Rong. He acknowledged that he had enjoyed hobbies like golf but spends much more time with his family now. His family is a major priority in his life, and consider hobbies in the future. Mr Lim frequently hangs out in the living room with Jun Rong. The father and son duo often engage in activities like watching dramas or movies and occasionally playing games on a mobile device.

Before joining the baking programme by Club Rainbow, Mr Lim revealed that he had tried his hand at baking before and had even purchased an oven, but his baking attempt did not turn out well. Mr Lim considered the baking session at Club Rainbow to be entertaining and educational as the professionals who conducted the session shared a good deal of knowledge in baking. For example, how the room temperature can affect the outcome of the pastry, etc.

Aside from picking up some new skills, Mr Lim shared, 'Being able to interact, network, and exchange experiences with others is perhaps the largest advantage. Interacting with other caregivers will help struggling families to know that they are not alone and that others share their struggles. Families communicate with one another, relating and understanding how they feel and what they are going through.'

Mr Lim found the session fun and felt a sense of accomplishment from the baking session because he created something different. He jokingly said, "It’s edible, but always room to improve". He expressed the desire to continue the baking session if the opportunity arises again since learning new skills is always a positive experience. According to Mr Lim, "Baking can be done with family members and is a wonderful way to divert one's attention from worries and concentrate on the task at hand. It can be considered a form of self-care". He strongly recommends fellow Club Rainbow caregivers to participate in the baking programme.

Facing Challenge Head On

The Challenge

Since birth, Nur Izzudin, now 9 years old, has been struggling with an extremely rare skin disease called Bullous Congenital Ichthyosiform Erythroderma (BCIE), with only less than 10 recorded cases in the national records. It is characterized by scaly skin from birth and, thickening and hardening skin which develops as the patient grows older. When he was born, Madam Siti, Izzudin’s mother and primary caretaker, struggled to take care of Izzudin, where even the simplest of tasks could end up hurting the then fragile baby.

When asked if taking care of Izzudin is difficult, she replied:

“Yes, initially, he is so fragile, he is so small, even if I want to carry him, I am afraid that I will injure him unintentionally… but we keep learning about him, how to take better care of him“.

Solving the Puzzle

Due to the nature of the skin disease, any form of friction on Izzudin’s skin would leave an abrasion on him, this means that even putting a shirt on him normally would hurt him. His grandmother then sourced shirts that have zips around the shoulder to facilitate the wearing of the shirt, subsequently, they realized that button-up shirts were easier and better, but they had to find button-up shirts that had soft collars so that it does not cause abrasion on his neck.

A hot day causes his whole body to flare up in patches, causing him great discomfort, conversely, if the weather is too cold, his skin will be too dry and end up cracking. They realized through trial and error that air-conditioning to cool him down is not ideal as it dries his skin, hence, they place fans all around the house.

In facing these challenges, Madam Siti and her family treats taking care of Izzudin as a learning process. They treat it as a cipher they have to decrypt, a code to break and every day, they learn something new that will help them break the code, that will help them take better care of Izzudin, to alleviate his condition.

Clearing Misconceptions & Creating Awareness

Growing up, Izzudin was not cooped up at home to protect him from the external atmosphere, but he was brought out often to allow him to pick up social skills. One of the common misconceptions that the general public has about his condition is that it is contagious and sometimes, members of the public go up to Madam Siti and inquire about it. Madam Siti told us that clearing these misconceptions lends a voice to patients with the disease and empowers them to be more confident in facing the public.

Encouragement for Caretakers

Madam Siti leaves these words of encouragement to caretakers who are facing similar challenges:

“Your child may be a blessing to you instead of a challenge, they are more sensitive and less self-centred than others. Treat your child like how you want others to treat him, don’t coop them up at home, don’t alienate them from society, help to spread awareness of their condition to empower them.”

Care and Support - Being There For Your Child

Featuring 2022 Exemplary Caregiver Awardee, Mdm Junnie Lim

Mdm Junnie Lim, is the mother of Ashley, 19, and has been awarded the Exemplary Caregiver Award for taking care of Ashley. Mdm Lim works full-time, juggling her time to take care of her two daughters both with chronic illnesses.

Ashley began having chronic migraines 4 years ago and was diagnosed with small fibre neuropathy, Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) and Sjogren’s syndrome. Due to a lack of medical information locally and general awareness of Sjogren’s syndrome, an accurate prognosis regarding how Ashley’s case can be effectively treated or cured remains unclear.

When Mdm Lim takes care of Ashley, she shares that as a parent, it is brutal to endure seeing her daughter in pain every day. For Ashley, her condition warrants the use of a port-a-cath.

It has been very tiring for Mdm Lim over the years, constantly worrying for her daughters. They also started to plan for Ashley’s worst-case scenario during surgery. While death plans have always lurked in her mind since she has 2 daughters with chronic conditions, her younger daughter has 2 liver transplant surgeries which have given Mdm Lim the will to fight till the end for her daughter.

Mdm Lim shares that she finds the most joy when they have their family trips together. She finds that it provides quality family bonding time, clear from any digital distractions which lets them truly spend time with each other. She enjoys their travel together in December and always looks forward to it because, to her, no amount of money can buy their meaningful time together. During their vacations, Mdm Lim always plans ahead by seeking out the nearest hospital in case of emergencies and is prepared at all times.

Thanks to Club Rainbow, Mdm Lim has managed to get both financial and emotional support. Mdm Lim first came to know Club Rainbow 16 years ago through 2 doctors, who acted as her pillars of support, when she felt at her wits’ end as she learned that her younger daughter had biliary atresia (a congenital chronic disease where the bile ducts are blocked or too narrow). The Club Rainbow social workers made her feel like family as they helped her through the emotional roller coaster. Club Rainbow has also supported her financially for her younger daughter’s first liver transplant when she had difficulties raising the pre-surgery deposit and once again when her younger daughter underwent a second liver transplant.

Mdm Lim wants to tell the world that not every sickness has a cure, but that is not the end of the world. Not every parent has a smooth journey and she hopes that everyone has more empathy and sympathy toward parents who are going through tough journeys with children suffering from chronic illnesses and undiagnosed conditions. She believes parents with special needs children should tell their story to the world because if parents can talk about it publicly, they can destigmatise their child’s condition and create awareness. Being embarrassed does not help the child and certainly not those around them because those who have not journeyed with the parents will not understand how much the family has endured and how they can help.

Despite all odds in her circumstances, Ashley has stood her ground and fought her illness with positivity and resilience. She currently provides free tuition to children along the borders of Myanmar and Thailand and has registered for the Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) programme. Aspiring to be a social worker to give back to society, she applied for a psychology course at a Polytechnic, which she was accepted into. As we admire Ashley’s never-say-die attitude and wish her all the best, we hope you share her story with your friends and family to raise awareness and support Ashley and her family in their journey.

Celebrating Heroes 2022

Watch the Exemplary Caregiver Video - click here

A son's first hero

Featuring 2022 Exemplary Caregiver Awardee, Mr Gan Keng Aik

Mr Gan, the father of Aloysius Gan, 16, has been awarded the Exemplary Caregiver Award for his efforts in taking care of Aloysius. Mr Gan currently works in physical security at the management level, overseeing the company operations while juggling his responsibilities with his son.

Aloysius, who attends a special needs school, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. Due to his condition, Aloysius uses a wheelchair and does not have clear speech. But while his motor skills are affected, resulting in reduced finesse in his hands and fingers, Aloysius can independently handle basic tasks in his daily life.

Just like any child, Aloysius’ daily routine revolves around waking up and going to school. Typically, his mother would send him to school and when Mr Gan gets to go into the office later, he spends his morning sending Aloysius to school. In the afternoon, Aloysius’ mum picks him up and sends him to Boccia training until the evening when he will return home for dinner and homework before going to bed. Admirably, Aloysius’ condition has hardly gotten the better of him and against the odds, he has succeeded in representing Singapore on the national team for Boccia and is a Gold medallist in the recent ASEAN Para Games and Asian Youth Para Games.

When Mr Gan takes care of Aloysius, he mentions that one of the most challenging times was the preparation for Aloysius’ Primary School Leaving Exam (PSLE). While his condition does not impact his IQ, Aloysius takes a longer time to grasp concepts and requires lots of practice papers. It was a tedious and repetitive process as Mr Gan had to go through a concept many times. Fortunately, Mr Gan and his wife divide and conquer as they split tasks to efficiently help Aloysius; Aloysius’ mother tackles Mathematics and English while Mr Gan teaches Science. Due to his condition, Aloysius cannot write and has to use a special keyboard that significantly slows him down, warranting almost double the time for each exam paper.

While it can get arduous at times, Mr Gan shares that the most important aspect of caring for Aloysius is finding out how to nurture and mentor him to inculcate the right attitude toward life; to ensure Aloysius has resilience and determination such that despite other people viewing him differently, he can nonetheless rise above it and accomplish his goals. Whether Aloysius succeeds or fails at doing something, Mr Gan always encourages Aloysius. He commends him or motivates him to try again so that Aloysius learns and grows from his experiences.

As a father holding a full-time job, Mr Gan may need to travel overseas for work once every 1 or 2 months. However, he finds that there is always a choice in life and does not feel stressed or burdened to take care of Aloysius. Although Mr Gan may be busy, he actively spends time with his family when he is off work or entire Saturdays with Aloysius in Boccia training. Whether it is family, friends or hobbies, he believes it is a personal preference to choose how time is spent and he chooses his family. Mr Gan feels the most joy when he bonds with Aloysius. Going overseas for competitions allows him to spend quality father-son time with Aloysius. Some of the most meaningful experiences Mr Gan holds dear include the adventure and little moments he shares with his son because whether it is victory or defeat, he sticks by his son. They will win, lose, suffer and share the glory together.

To him, it is the journey that counts, not the destination.

Thanks to Club Rainbow’s support, Aloysius has been receiving funding through the Talent Development Fund (TDF) over the last few years, enabling them to purchase better Boccia equipment and balls for training and competitions that boost Aloysius’ gameplay.

Lastly, Mr Gan wants to tell the world that whether it is cerebral palsy or other illnesses, it remains up to the individual to decide what it means for their life. With the support of family and friends, any child can realise their dream and not let their condition limit them. Mr Gan believes that everyone has the right to chase their dream and live a fulfilled life.

Among other competitions, Aloysius will be playing for Singapore in the 2023 ASEAN Para Games. We wish the father-son duo the best of luck and hope that you can share their story with your friends and family to raise awareness and support them in their journey.

Written by: HCI Project Butterfly Effect
Edited by: Club Rainbow (Singapore)

A brother's unconditional love

Featuring 2022 Exemplary Sibling Awardee, Shuy Yao Kang

Yao Kang, 21, is the brother of Shuy Yao An, 14, and has been awarded the Exemplary Sibling Award for taking care of Yao An. Yao Kang is currently at Nanyang Technological university studying medicine while juggling his studies and his responsibilities with his brother.

Yao An has MELAS (Mitochondrial Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like episodes) which is a condition that affects 1 in 4000 people and results in an accumulation of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis), that can lead to vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, muscle weakness and difficulty breathing.  It takes away a person’s bodily functions, making Yao An incapable of walking and unable to consume food through his mouth. As a result, Yao An has to use a specially-designed pushchair to move around and the usage of a feeding tube to get his daily nutrients. Further, he also suffers from seizures, which are hazardous because they can lead to his getting injured, such as a hard impact on the head or a fall. Despite Yao An's inability to express himself verbally, his family can still decipher what he is thinking by reading his body language.

Even though most of Yao An’s basic needs are taken care of by his parents and helper, Yao Kang still tries to help out as much as possible daily. Some of his duties include helping Yao An with his hygiene and changing his clothes. Although these may sound easy, they are no easy task as Yao An is 14 years old, and is of similar build to the youth of his age and it is not easy for Yao Kang to manoeuvre Yao An alone. This is especially difficult while helping him shower as Yao Kang has to hold his brother up for an extended period and shift him around. For meals, Yao An has to eat through a feeding tube so Yao Kang has to prepare the food in advance and plan his time around Yao An’s meal time. Apart from meals, Yao Kang also ensures that his brother takes all the prescribed medications at the correct times and dosage. Throughout the day, Yao Kang uses spare pockets of time in his packed schedule to interact with his brother and carry out activities with him.

On a day-to-day basis, Yao Kang does not feel too stressed by his responsibilities in taking care of his brother as the nature of his brother's condition follows a fairly consistent routine every day, and hence very predictable on what to expect. However, Yao An’s future is still uncertain as his condition and needs may change. As a result, Yao Kang finds it difficult to make long-term plans as he is not sure of when his help may be needed to look after his brother.

Through his years of taking care of his brother, the most important lesson that Yao Kang has learnt is to make the best of what you have and to live life in the present without wishing that things were different.

Lastly, Yao Kang wants to share with the world that individuals with alike conditions to Yao An have feelings too even though it is not easy for them to express. Just like us, they have their interests and we have to find out how to meet those interests by reading their non-verbal cues. Even if they seem uninterested in what we are doing for them, they are incredibly grateful for any help and interaction we can give to them.  

As we wish Yao An and Yao Kang all the best, we also hope that you can share their stories with your friends and family to raise awareness and support Club Rainbow beneficiaries and families in their journey.

Ride for Rainbows 2022 and 30th Anniversary Birthday Bash

Club Rainbow (Singapore)’s biggest event of the year, Ride for Rainbows 2022 and the 30th Anniversary Birthday Bash have successfully concluded on 27 November 2022.

The physical Ride for Rainbows is back after being virtual for 2 years due to the COVID-19 pandemic!

In conjunction with Club Rainbow (Singapore)’s 30th Anniversary, this year's edition for Ride for Rainbows is met with a hybrid format, giving our riders the flexibility to participate in a physical or virtual ride. We also had a birthday bash carnival with a tons of carnival games and rides at the end of the physical ride to celebrate this very special day and spend a fun filled day with our beneficiaries and their families!

On that day, there were over 600 participants and volunteers who turned up at Marina Barrage. This includes 78 families, close to 200 riders and over 100 staff and volunteers.

With that, we would like to take this opportunity to express our utmost gratitude to all our supporting parties, including our beneficiaries and their families, sponsors, riders, donors, staff and volunteers! This event would not be possible without everyone’s help and support. 

We hope to see you all again for Ride for Rainbows next year!

Please email rfr@clubrainbow.org to be a part of Ride for Rainbows next year!

Club Rainbow (Singapore) Family Retreat

We had the SUN, the SEA and all (Club Rainbow) Hearts on board the Spectrum of the Seas!
Our annual family retreat is back!

Bouncing back from the pandemic, Club Rainbow (Singapore) (CRS) is much pleased to bring back the annual family cruise trip this year! The specially curated event is open to all CRS beneficiaries and their immediate family members only. To ensure that all families get the opportunity to be part of the Club Rainbow Family Retreat experience, priority was given to families who have not been on any CRS-organised overseas family retreat event or cruise in the past. 

During this 4D3N cruise getaway, the workshops and activities organised by CRS on board were for the beneficiaries and families to unwind, learn and forge new friendships. The ice-breaker activity saw both young and young at heart getting up and about, scouring around to complete their Bingo sheet.  

One of the highlights of the 3-Day programme is the self-care programme for the caregivers on Day 2. The session was well received by caregivers, with many sharing that it was a good opportunity to reflect, self-comfort and relax. They had an enjoyable time, chatting and laughing with other Club Rainbow parents making reference to being like a big family. Miss Ng, an immediate family member of one beneficiary shared, ‘Time to reflect on me. Do a gift for my child. Write a card to encourage myself and self-meditate time. Best of all, 2 hours away from kids to relax (no worries as we know they are well taken care of by CRS)’.

The most popular activity among the caregivers is the DIY keychain with folded stars carrying the wishes and hopes that the parents have for their children. Many found it to be therapeutic and meaningful. For one parent, the activity showed them how much their son has achieved. Apart from penning their thoughts and wishes for their children, expressing heartfelt feelings into a keepsake was memorable for the parents. Mdm Yeap, mother of a beneficiary looks beyond positively, making new goals and hopes for 2023.

In closing the Day 2 session with self-encouragement, a number of caregivers expressed that they have never once thought of writing to themselves as they are constantly focused on caring for their special need child. ‘I seldom think about my own strength. A bit blank initially as I was not used to self-encouragement but it is good exercise’, shared Mdm Elvira. With much emphasis on the importance of a self-care routine, Mr Teo, father of a CRS beneficiary mentioned that the postcard writing activity helped him with self-care check-in of his own mental health and well-being. Resonating with Mr Teo’s sharing, Mdm Chew was happy that she learned to self-appreciate, ‘I love myself more, my well-being.’

Day 3 shouts out for teamwork and family bonding through the Club Rainbow Fashion Show. ‘Fun & innovative. We are glad to be able to design & create something special!’ said Miss Ng, the immediate family member of the CRS beneficiary. Many inclusive activities are planned to encourage parent-child engagement, ‘Quality time together is so precious. Thank you for organising!’ shared gratefully by Ms Lai, a mother of a CRS beneficiary.

All the families agreed with both mothers of CRS beneficiaries, Mdm Yap and Mdm Lee that the retreat was ‘Enjoyable, refreshing. I feel happy.’ and more importantly ‘We do things as a family!’.

Celebrating Heroes 2022 : Beautiful Inside & Out

365 days, 7 families, 5 commendable siblings, 4 selfless caregivers and 3 outstanding siblings with one common motivation – a loved one.

Celebrating Heroes, an original event by Club Rainbow (Singapore) has been honouring countless caregivers and siblings over the decade. Taking a hiatus from 2021, we continue to recognise these heroes walking in our midst.

Starting as Caregivers Appreciation Day, the event evolved to Celebrating Heroes (CH) in 2015, where the first Exemplary Caregiver Award was presented. Whilst the common saying goes ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ but the most important support comes together as a family unit. Siblings are often forgettable when immediate priorities surround children with chronic illnesses. Acknowledging these young ones as part of the core support system of the family, we appreciate outstanding siblings too who share the daily responsibilities of caring for their brother or sister together with their parents.

This year, we received numerous nominations for many caregivers and siblings from all walks of life and even ages. After many tear-jerking encounters from the interviews with nominated caregivers and siblings, we are proud to share this year’s Celebrating Heroes 2022: Beautiful Inside & Out awardees – 5 commendable siblings, 4 selfless caregivers and 3 outstanding siblings! These awardees are true representatives of the many caregivers and siblings of Club Rainbow who give selflessly of their time to their loved ones.

Exemplary Caregiver Awardee, Mr Gan Keng Aik together with Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Speaker of Parliament Singapore (left) and Dr Sashikumar Ganapathy, President of Club Rainbow (Singapore).

Mr Gan, father of Aloysius and one of the Exemplary Caregiver awardees shared, ‘every parent must dare to dream that their kids can have a dream!’ Mr Gan supports his son’s passion for Boccia as a coach and athlete competition partner. Aloysius has been representing Singapore in the Asian Youth Para Games (AYPG) for Boccia and brought pride to Singaporeans with his first gold medal from the Bahrain 2021 AYPG. Sharing similar sentiments, Karen who is a teacher, a mother of 2 children and a caregiver 24/7 for her son, Mikkel, strongly believes that no child is the same as another. Putting a lot of effort into learning special education techniques and therapy exercises, she hopes that Mikkel would be as independent as he can. Through Karen’s perseverance and guidance, Mikkel has achieved many goals and skills, which were far from an imagined possibility at the point of his diagnosis.

Sharing the same room since the birth of his little brother Yao An in 2008, Yao Kang has been a key part of his brother’s life even before the diagnosis of Yao An’s rare disorder in 2013. He was an elder brother to whom Yao An looks up and bonded very closely. With his brother’s condition degenerating over time from verbal to non-verbal, Yao Kang has never given up on communicating with this little brother and spends his daily life playing music with Yao An to encourage sensory stimulation. A Year 3 student at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine now, though with a demanding academic schedule, Yao Kang still makes time for Yao An. An avid supporter of siblings with special needs, Yao Kang recognises the important role of siblings in a family unit. He is the co-founder of SibsUnite, a volunteer-run organisation.

Like Yao Kang, Auni, an Exemplary Sibling awardee of 2022, takes care of her little brother, Royyan while her mother is at work since the passing of their father. The 11-year-old has stepped up to support her mother in caring for Royyan by encouraging him on every single step of his daily essentials, guiding him on how to get home, helping him with personal care, and supporting Royyan with his academics. 

To hear more of our awardees, watch the Celebrating Heroes 2022 videos here:
Exemplary Caregiver Award 2022
Exemplary Sibling Award 2022

“It’s not what you look at matters, it’s what you see.”