“MY FATHER was an ordinary Singaporean who, like many others, worked hard for his family. He was with an airline company for over 40 years, and the opportunities to travel opened his mind. He had a positive take on life, and embraced exercise and travelling to maintain his mental and emotional well-being,” recalls Mr Hansen Yeong, son of the late Mr Yeong Yow Wong.
Before his passing, his father had suggested to his family to consider supporting the philanthropic efforts of CGH. This intent stemmed from his stays at CGH as a patient, during which he was comforted and impressed by the CGH care team. He had expressed to his family that he wanted to remain in the hospital for as long as needed, as he felt comfortable and had complete trust in the medical staff at CGH. “For someone who used to object to any notion of hospitalisation, that was nothing short of a marvel,” says Mr H. Yeong. “We were reassured during my father’s stay as we felt and appreciated the kindness of the staff. The doctors personally called us multiple times to provide updates, and the nurses showed incredible empathy and sensitivity to us, especially during the last two days before he passed away.”
A firm believer incaring for one’s mental well-being, Mr Yeong Yow Wong continued to help others by leaving a legacy gift throughhis family.
Supporting the mental health of youths
Mr Yeong’s family generously contributed $200,000 in support of CGH’s mental health activities for youths after the passing of Mr Yeong. The family chose to contribute to this area as the late Mr Yeong strongly believed in the importance of mental and emotional well-being to a person’s general health. During his retirement days — in addition to travelling and keeping physically active — Mr Yeong would observe and often reach out to neighbours who were feeling down and needed a listening ear. He would invite them to accompany him on his daily afternoon walks at the park, making him a recognisable figure in the neighbourhood.
Mr H. Yeong and his sister, who both work in educational institutions, are also acutely aware of the mental health issues affecting the youths of today. “We believe that the hospital’s efforts in raising awareness of mental health issues affecting youth will achieve a resonance in the community,” says Mr H. Yeong.
Empowering the community
Mr H. Yeong was also inspired by a conversation he had with Clinical Assistant Professor Cheryl Loh, Chief and Senior Consultant of the Department of Psychological Medicine, CGH. Clin Asst Prof Loh shared that CGH does not only see itself as an institution caring for the sick, but an active participant that encourages well-being in the community. This empowers the population to prevent illness and lead healthier lives meaningfully, while CGH continues to be there to provide high-quality care to those who are unwell.
The gift will go towards the CGH Youth Outreach Programme (YoOP!). Developed by a team of CGH adolescent mental health experts, YoOP! is designed to further support students, educators and counsellors in schools to improve mental health literacy, dispel myths on mental illness and equip them with skillsets to identify and support their peers who are at risk. YoOP! has engaged 11 schools in Pasir Ris, Tampines, Simei and Bedok so far, and plans to increase its outreach efforts across Singapore.
At CGH, a multi-disciplinary team comprising psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health occupational therapists and medical social workers work with young people to understand their symptoms, diagnose their condition and provide personalised treatment plans. These conditions could include anxiety and depression. “We hope that our gift can contribute towards CGH’s efforts in fulfilling this inspiring and meaningful goal,” adds Mr H. Yeong.
To date, CGH has raised over S$1 million in its fundraising efforts as it celebrates 88 years of trusted care for the community, transforming care delivery and innovating healthcare for tomorrow.
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