SINGAPORE – SingHealth has raised $1,316,909 for the President’s Challenge 2024, in an effort that lasted about five months and involved the more than 33,000 employees of the healthcare group.
At a closing event held at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) on the morning of Oct 5, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam revealed the sum that SingHealth had raised and thanked leaders of the healthcare group’s institutions for their efforts.
SingHealth’s President’s Challenge 2024 campaign, Igniting Hope Through Compassion, was led by the NCCS. This is the 20th consecutive year that the healthcare group has supported the nationwide movement.
Over two decades, the group has raised more than $10.7 million for the challenge – a national initiative that is led by the president and aims to built a more cohesive and caring Singapore.
The President’s Challenge was launched in 2000 by late president S R Nathan. More than $14 million was raised during the 2023 edition, benefiting 86 social service organisations.
SingHealth’s campaign, which began in May, involved various fund-raising and outreach events such as a pledge card donation drive, charity bazaars and outings with clients from beneficiary organisations.
Five organisations will receive funds raised by SingHealth in 2024: the Singapore Cancer Society, Singapore Hospice Council, SingHealth Fund, Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital and mental health social service agency Shan You.
Dr Eileen Poon, who headed SingHealth’s President’s Challenge 2024 campaign, said the five beneficiary organisations are selected from a list provided by challenge organisers, as these organisations are addressing the needs of all sectors of society, including the terminally ill, the elderly and their caregivers.
Dr Poon, a senior consultant at NCCS, said she is encouraged by the support and participation of staff across SingHealth.
Praising all who work for SingHealth, not just the doctors and nurses, but also the porters, security guards, allied health professionals and food providers, Dr Poon said: “Many of them are not the highest paid, but they are willing to come forward and do their bit with the understanding that they’re all trying to help somebody less fortunate than them. I’m inspired and humbled by their willingness to do more, even though they themselves might have their own difficulties.”
Shan You executive director Wong Mei Yin said the funds received will go towards expanding the organisation’s suicide prevention efforts focused on the young, and replacing the air-conditioning system at Shan You’s counselling centre in Kallang, which was installed in 2006.
Dr Wong said Shan You has been looking to run the suicide prevention programme, which includes exhibits on five case studies and a focus group discussion, for participants aged beyond 16 to 35.
“I don’t want to put too many barriers to reaching the public, many of whom may be willing to come to programmes or events, but are not so keen to come for one-to-one therapy,” she said.
Dr Patricia Neo, who heads the Singapore Hospice Council’s clinical services steering committee, said the funds received will go towards building capabilities and public education.
She said there is a stigma surrounding palliative care in Singapore, adding that very few people want to talk about dying, death, grief and bereavement.
“As a society, we’re not so ready to discuss these issues,” she said, noting that some may find it “unfilial” to discuss end-of-life care with their parents.
“It almost seems a little counter-intuitive that we plan for major events such as births and weddings, but death – a very obvious event in our lives – we hardly think about it, and often when it hits us, it’s just a little bit too late to have those conversations,” said Dr Neo.
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Giving ＆ Philanthropy
