Build . Bond .

Engage
November 2012
Bukit Batok East

Bukit Batok East Newsletter

For more information about Bukit Batok East, pls visit us at: www.bukitbatokeast.blogspot.com

ADVISERS MESSAGE
Dear Residents,
At the National Day Rally this year, our Prime Minister invited Singaporeans to join him in creating our future. Since then, Minister Heng Swee Keat has announced the setting up of a committee to initiate the Our Singapore Conversation. The composition of the committee is diverse as we want to hear the views of Singaporeans from all walks of life. I am also on the committee. In fact, last week, I organised one session with our youths and they really gave very good insights on many important issues affecting Singaporeans. For those of you who want to contribute ideas or make any suggestions, please feel free to go the OSC website or take part in any of the group discussions that have been scheduled. We want to hear your views on what matters to you and what more we can do together to make Singapore a better place for everyone. One of the things that the Prime Minster also talked about at the NDR was the need for us to be more gracious in our daily living. Actually, there are many Singaporeans who practice graciousness, kindness and compassion in their daily lives. I met many such residents during my house visits. One resident told me about her neighbour who took her little kid who was hurt by broken glass to the hospital as the maid had panicked and she was at work. Another resident told me about an elderly neighbour who needs help when I visited them and even accompanied her to my MPS for the follow up. These are inspiring stories but I also received complaints about inconsiderate behaviour such as making loud noises late at night, throwing things out of the window, allowing dogs to defecate all over the estate and inconsiderate use of the void decks. So, we have made progress but there is still much more that we can do to make HDB living a pleasant and happy experience for everyone. I hope that everyone will do their part in enhancing the graciousness index in our society. I hope that I can share many more good stories with you that I have picked up from my visits and interaction with residents. Finally, I also want to inform residents that our upgrading programmes are on track. The Home Improvement Programme at several blocks in Toh Guan have started. The remaining LUP programmes at Bukit Batok East are also underway. The HDB has also informed us that they have started planning for the multi-storey car park near block 241. I thank all residents for all your support. I also wish all our Hindu residents Happy Deepavali. Halimah

Para Penduduk yang Dihormati,

Pada Rapat Hari Kebangsaan tahun ini, Perdana Menteri kita telah mengundang setiap rakyat Singapura untuk berkerjasama dengan beliau dalam membina masa depan Negara kita ini. Sejak itu, Menteri Heng Swee Keat juga telah mengumumkan penubuhan sebuah jawatankuasa bagi mengadakan sesi perbincangan yang dinamakan Perbualan Singapura Kami. Pembentukan jawatankuasa ini terdiri daripada pelbagai orang kerana kita mahu mendengar pandangan rakyat Singapura daripada setiap lapisan masyarakat. Saya juga salah seorang ahli anggota jawatankuasa ini. Namun demikian, pada minggu lalu sahaja, saya pun telah menganjurkan satu sesi dengan para belia-belia kita dan saya berasa amat gembira kerana mereka telah memberikan pandangan tentang isu-isu penting yang menjejas kehidupan rakyat Singapura dengan baik dan sebenar-benarnya. Bagi anda yang ingin menyumbang idia atau memberi apa jua cadangan, anda juga boleh menyusul ke laman web OSC atau ambil bahagian dalam mana-mana kumpulan perbincangan yang telah dijadualkan. Kami ingin mendengar pandangan anda mengenai perkara-perkara yang anda rasa amatlah tenat dalam kehidupan anda dan apa jua saranan yang boleh kita lakukan bersama bagi menjadikan Singapura tempat yang lebih baik untuk setiap penduduk Negara kita ini. Salah satu perkara yang telah juga diajukan oleh Perdana Menteri pada Rapat Hari Kebangsaan tahun ini adalah perlunya bagi kita untuk menjadi masyarakat yang lebih bersopan santun dalam kehidupan harian kita. Namun sedemikian, terdapat ramai rakyat Singapura sebenarnya yang mengamalkan kesantunan, kebaikan dan belas kasihan dalam kehidupan seharian mereka seperti penduduk-penduduk yang saya telah bertemu semasa saya mengadakan lawatan rumah. Sebagai contoh baik, ada seseorang penduduk telah memberitahu saya tentang jirannya yang sudi membawa anak kecil beliau yang terluka, disebabkan kaca terpecah, ke hospital apabila pembantu rumahnya sedang kegugupan. Pada waktu itu pula, beliau berada di tempat kerjanya. Ketika saya mangadakan lawatan rumah juga, ada seseorang lagi penduduk juga telah memberitahu saya tentang jirannya, seorang warga emas, yang amat memerlukan bantuan daripada saya. Selain itu, penduduk berkenaan itu juga sering menemani jirannya itu ke MPS saya bagi pertemuan susulan. Ini adalah cerita-cerita yang telah memberi inspirasi tetapi bukan setakat itu sahaja. Saya juga menerima aduan mengenai tingkah laku yang kurang baik seperti membuat bunyi bising pada lewat malam, membuang barang daripada tingkap, membenarkan anjing membuang najis di merata estet dan penggunaan kolong blok dengan secara tidak bertimbang rasa. Jadi, kita telah mencapai kemajuan tetapi masih ada yang lebih kita boleh lakukan untuk menjadikan kehidupan HDB suatu pengalaman yang gembira dan menyenangkan bagi semua. Saya berharap agar semua orang akan memainkan peranan masing-masing dalam meningkatkan indeks kesantunan dalam masyarakat kita. Saya juga berharap bahawa saya boleh berkongsi lebih banyak cerita-cerita yang baik dengan anda daripada pengalaman lawatan rumah serta interaksi saya dengan penduduk. Akhir kata, saya juga ingin memaklumkan kepada para penduduk bahawa program menaik-taraf kami sedang berjalan mengikut jadual. Program Pembaikan Rumah di beberapa blok di Toh Guan pun sudah dimulakan. Program-program LUP yang selebihnya di Bukit Batok East juga sedang diteruskan. HDB juga telah memaklumkan kepada kami bahawa mereka telah memulakan perancangan bagi tempat meletak kereta bertingkat di sekitaran berdekatan dengan blok 241. Saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada semua penduduk di atas sokongan anda. Saya juga mengucapkan semua penduduk Hindu kami Selamat Hari Deepavali. Halimah

ADVISERS MESSAGE

OSC HIP 241

,
. . . . , . OSC . , . , . . . . , , , , . , HDB- . . , . , . - . LUP . 241- HDB . . .

ActIVE AGEInG

312 Meridien Exercise

Residents learnt abdominal breathing and ways to keep fit! Regular exercise groups were organised at various venues around BBE estate.

Fun-filled Activities for Elderly

SpoRtS

Botanic Gardens Walk

CSC Tree Top Outing

278 residents enjoyed seeing the flora and fauna at the Botanic Gardens in a walk organised by the Bukit Batok East CSC.

76 residents got closer to nature as they participated in the Tree Top Walk organised by the BBE CSC.

Competing in the Community Games

BBE CSC Wins Accolade

The BBE CSC participated actively in the Community Games and were crowned champions in the following; - Netball games; Football (Women) ; Football (Mens Master) ; Football (Mens Open) ; Sepak Takraw (Mens Open and Junior) and Bowling Team event under Jurong Cluster.

The BBE CSC has been conferred the Silver Award for the Year 2011 for promoting interaction and bonding amongst the residents through sports.

Walking as One

Gardens by the Bay Excursion for Seniors

Group photo on Page 24

Over 1,000 residents walked 2km in the One Community Walk organised by the BBE CSC.

530 seniors enjoyed a fun morning at Singapores latest attraction, Gardens by the Bay.

DIAloGuE SESSIonS wIth RESIDEntS

Madam Halimah Yacob visited various private estates in BBE together with representatives of government agencies. Amongst the various issues discussed, most common concerns revolve around traffic congestion, transport issues and estate cleanliness.

Breakfast Session with Grassroots Adviser Mdm Halimah Yacob at Bukit Regency

Residents Gathering with Grassroots Adviser Mdm Halimah Yacob at Bukit View Condominium

Lunch Session with Grassroots Adviser Mdm Halimah Yacob at Garden Vista

DIAloGuE SESSIonS wIth RESIDEntS

Breakfast Session at Good Luck Garden

Breakfast Session at Sherwood Condominium

Grassroots Adviser Mdm Halimah Yacob met the residents of condominiums located along Jln Selanting and Jln Rajawali

Dialogue with residents at Signature Park

Breakfast Session at Southaven I

Lunch Session at Southaven II

GEt-toGEthER Picnic By The Beach 2012

More than 120 residents spent their Sunday morning playing various individual and group games at the Changi beach on 10 June 2012.

Chithirai Thirunaal: Tamil New Year Celebrations 2012

The audience were treated to a colourful display of Rangoli. There was a variety show and many tried Henna Drawing. This event serves to promote better understanding of Indian culture to the nonIndians.

GEt-toGEthER Iftar Ramadan 2012

Iftar Ramadan was held to reiterate the importance of moral values such as putting others before self. The event also imbued residents with the spirit of giving and helping the less fortunate altruistically. During the event, $100 tokens and food hampers were distributed to 33 Bukit Batok East residents.

Pesta Bahasa 2012

The annual event, now into its fifth year, saw a total of about 450 students from 10 primary schools participating and rooting for their fellow schoolmates who competed in various categories.

Salam Mesra Aidilfitri 2012

Salam Mesra Aidilfitri 2012 saw a strong crowd of 500 participants of different ages and races gathered together to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Not only were those present treated to a buffet-concept dinner and performances showcased by guest artiste(s), this years programme had comprised of an interesting line-up of games involving the young and old, in promoting harmony and neighbourliness.

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GEt-toGEthER

Senior Citizens Health & Happiness Night

About 400 seniors joined in the activities during the event. They were spontaneous in trying the various health booths activities. Health messages were conveyed through engaging performances and interacting games.

Parents Day & Senior Citizens Birthday Celebration

Families gathered to celebrate Mothers & Fathers Day. During the celebration, Mdm Halimah gave out red eggs & cakes to the seniors whose birthdays fall between May to August.

Celebrating the Dumpling Festival

Families were treated to delicious dumplings and entertained by various games at the Dumpling Festival Celebrations organised by the Womens Executive Committee (WEC) and Zone 3 RC.

wARMInG up to nAtIonAl DAY

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Balloon Sculpting

Volunteers and residents participated in various balloon sculpting workshops as a warm up to the National Day Dinner Celebration where 2,000 residents will participate in making their own balloon souvenirs.

National Day Family Painting Contest

Teams were formed by family members from at least 2 generations. To win, each team has to paint an art piece with the theme Celebrate National Day within the given timeframe. With the power of kinship, families drew many fantastic art pieces.

National Day Family Cake Decoration Contest

Families used their creativity to decorate a cake within the given time. They brought their favourite characters and breathed new life into the simple sponge cakes.

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SpotlIGht

BBE National Day Observance Ceremony

Mdm Halimah Yacob and fellow grassroots leaders reaffirm their dedication to Singapore during the pledge-taking ceremony.

Students from various ethnic groups got together to perform an item for attendees.

Children showing their love for Singapore

SpotlIGht

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National Day Dinner Celebration

Residents came up close with Mdm Halimah Yacob during the National Day Dinner. Healthy meals were whipped up for residents to inculcate healthy living tips.

Toh Guan View National Day Observance Ceremony

Residents started the celebration with a morning walk, followed by flag raising and pledge reciting. Families attended the ceremony and soaked in the National Day mood.

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hAppEnInGS

Congratulations to our National Day Award Recipients

Mr Kelvin Lim, PBM

Chairman, Bukit Batok East Citizens Consultative Community Development Welfare Fund Asst Secretary, Bukit Batok East Citizens Consultative Committee Vice Chairman, Bukit Batok East Community Club Management Committee Patron, Bukit Batok East Constituency Sport Club

Mr Soh Eng Hwee, PBM

Chairman, Bukit Batok East Zone 1 Residents Committee Member, Bukit Batok East Citizens Consultative Committee Asst Treasurer, Bukit Batok East Citizens Consultative Community Development Welfare Fund Secretary, Bukit Batok East Community Club Senior Citizens Executive Committee Member, Bukit Batok East Community Emergency and Engagement Committee

YounG tAlEntS

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Life Journey
Studying in a university is a dream for many Normal (Technical) students and many will not believe that one can make it that far. This was a dream which I had since I was in secondary school. This dream came true for me after I graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a Diploma (Merit) in Accountancy and was awarded the Tay Eng Soon Gold Medal. I was also awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship to Encourage Upgrading (LKY-STEP) Award to pursue a degree in Accountancy at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). It had always been a difficult and challenging learning journey as things did not go smoothly for me during my primary school days due to a lack of sense of purpose and goal in mind. My class position for tests and examinations was often fourth or fifth from the bottom I went on to perform quite badly for my PSLE for an EM2 student with only a score of 151. I was then posted to Yusof Ishak Secondary School (YI), channelled into the Normal (Technical) stream. I thought that being posted to YI was the worst part of my life. To make matters worse, my dad nagged at me for the longest time, for being just good enough for the NT stream. Of course, he meant well but I became demoralised with how badly I was doing in school. However, I soon realised that YI was where I finally recognised and understood the importance of education. It was indeed the very place where I was first afforded with various opportunities and leadership roles to help me become the person I am today. Most importantly, I am most grateful to my teachers who had helped me with my studies without fail. ITE College East and Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) were the two places where I found my passion both in academic and non-academic. I found my passion in accountancy, getting a lot of satisfaction from working with figures and preparing financial statements. I began to aspire to be an accountant one day. As a former student of ITE, I felt inferior when I was in NP because of the perceptions that people usually have about ITE students. I was also apprehensive as I thought that my course mates were smarter because they had an O-level certificate. Many times I felt frustrated for not being able to cope with the curriculum, let alone to be on par with them. I ever thought of giving up once, however, with the support and encouragement from my lecturers, I learnt to manage my shortcomings and overcame the fear to complete my diploma studies. After overcoming this fear, I developed a realisation that giving back to the community was what I ought to do too. I found myself enjoying helping those around me and that I would help them whenever I could. This passion drove me, together with five other ITE friends to play a proactive role in NP by setting up an ITE Chapter to help new ITE students to better adjust to polytechnic life. Having been inspired by others, I wanted to inspire and encourage my juniors to do better in school. Ever since then, I was actively involved in community service with various organisations and grassroots. This long journey has made me realise that support and encouragement will always be provided by the people around us no matter who you are. Yet, the single most important determining factor for any successful person will still depend on the persons resolve to pursue their goal. Although my learning journey in the past 10 years was long and tough, and occasionally I do have regrets about it, I have nonetheless gained a lot from it. We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things. As action and determination is the foundation and key to all success. Yusof Ishak Secondary School Class 2003 (Normal Technical Stream) ITE College East Class Apr 2007 (Higher Nitec in Accountancy) Ngee Ann Polytechnic Class 2010 (Diploma in Accountancy) Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University expected graduation in 2013 (Bachelor in Accountancy) *Hui Xian is currently in Year 3 Accountancy Programme at NTU. She is now in Sweden on a Student Exchange Programme.

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YounG tAlEntS

4th Yusof Ishak Student Conference With Grassroots Adviser

Mdm Halimah attended the Student Conference and shared with the students at Yusok Ishak Secondary School on 13 July, Friday. The theme for the forum is Nurturing All Round Talents for the 21st Century. The dialogue session brought in new perspectives, ideas and experiences to all the participants.

CDC/CCC Bursary Presentation

Mdm Halimah congratulated the 80 recipients on their achievements and encouraged them to apply the same commitment in their academic pursuits.

GEt-toGEthER

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Hoover Park NC
Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration

185 Hoover Park residents enjoyed the Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration organised by the HPNC on 29 September at the playground garden. The residents were thrilled by the exciting performances and danced along with the performers. The buffet was delicious and many had more than one serving.

Jade Valley NC
Healthy & Nutritious Cooking Workshop

More than 30 residents participated in a sharing session where they learnt how to whip up 4 simple yet nutritious dishes.

Jurong East View RC

Dumpling Festival Party

Families enjoyed the fun games and songs at the Dumpling Festival Party.

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GEt-toGEthER

Qigong 14th Anniversary Celebration

Toh Guan Park RC

During the celebrations, residents who practise Qigong every Sunday morning took a morning walk to commemorate its 14th Anniversary. The RC also added in a balloon sculpting workshop for the residents to learn and take up as another hobby.

Toh Guan View RC

Distribution of Ramadan Porridge
This event is organised annually with the sponsorship from the Masjid Ai-Mukminin. Residents of all races can partake in the celebration.

Spring View RC
Project FORT (Foreign Workers and Residents On Patrol Team)
Project FORT involves patrols by several foreign workers from Acacia Lodge, a dormitory in Bukit Batok, Spring Views Citizens-On-Patrol members, Jurong Town Council, police liaison officers and residents. Besides tackling crime, the project will also work towards helping locals and foreign workers bond as they patrol estates together.

Racial Harmony Day

Hip hop dancing, fire eating and treats made the event extremely refreshing for the residents.

GEt-toGEthER

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Nature View RC
Love Gleams in Families

30 teams of families participated in the easter egg decoration contest. Besides bonding with fellow neighbours, residents also enjoyed the free flow of pop corn and candy floss.

Baking Demonstration

To equip residents with skills and tips that will help them to bake with ease, Nature View RC Baking Interest Group organised their very first Cup Cake Baking Demonstration.

Fire Prevention & Residents Block Party

A Fire Prevention and Residents Block Party was held to educate residents on tips on fire and crime prevention and informative brochures/gifts were also given out. The SCDF through our Grassroots Adviser Mdm Halimah Yacob, presented the Public Spiritedness Award to 6 individuals for their kind acts shown during the fire outbreak in Block 288F on 19th April 2012. HPB also raised awareness amongst residents in making healthier meal choices with creative food models.

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GEt-toGEthER

Zone 1 RC
Folk Dance Interest Group Gathering

The Bukit Batok East Zone 1 RC Folkdance Interest Group has been organising a monthly gathering for the Folk Dance Interest Group at Blk 235 Pavilion. Residents are welcome to join the BBE Zone 1 RC Folkdance Interest Group every Friday-from 8pm to 10 pm.

Zone 2 RC
Fruits Fiesta

Residents came with their families and friends, enjoying the music and feasting on the fruits galore of yummy durians, mangosteens and rambutans!

Zone 3 RC
Kampong Night

Kampong Night brought back memories of the good old days where we enjoyed tikam tikam, kacang putih, hopscotch, chapteh and five stones.

GEt-toGEthER. hEAlth tIpS

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Family Breakfast Gathering

Zone 3 RC

Sunday briskwalkers and their families joined in a simple breakfast gathering where they played some mind challenging board games and borrowed a selection of health books from NLB.

Health benefits of Brazil nuts

razil nuts are high in calories, contains good quantities of vitamins, anti-oxidants and minerals. 100 g of brazil nuts provide about 656 calories. Their high caloric content is because of their fats. However, the nuts are especially rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) like palmitoleic acid (16:1) and oleic acid (18:1) that helps to lower LDL or bad cholesterol and increase HDL or good cholesterol in the blood. Brazil nuts contain exceptionally high levels of selenium. 100 g nuts provide about 1917 mcg of selenium and 3485% of recommended daily intake making them as highest natural source of this mineral. Selenium is an important cofactor for anti-oxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Just 1-2 brazil nut a day provides enough of this trace element. Adequate selenium foods in the diet help prevent coronary artery disease, liver cirrhosis and cancers. The nuts are also very good source of vitamin E; Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals. Furthermore, brazil nuts are free from gluten and therefore are one of the popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten free food formulas. Brazil nuts are excellent source of B-complex group of vitamins such as thiamin (51% of RDA per 100 g), riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) and folates. These vitamins functions as co-factors for enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism. In addition to selenium, they contain very good levels of other minerals such as copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc. Copper helps prevent anemia and bone weakness (osteoporosis). Manganese is an all-important co-factor for antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.

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SpEcIAl tRIButE
Monday to Friday, between 8.30am to 9.30 am daily. Every treatment lasted 30 minutes and this continued for about 6 weeks, come rain or shine. My first three weeks of therapy were fortunately uneventful. During my free time, I continued to participate in normal daily activities, especially my grassroots activities which I hold dearly in my heart. I enjoyed tremendously the times where I interacted with the residents living in my neighbourhood and will be more than happy to help them when they need me to. Being given the chance to serve the community and people that I live with gave me much comfort and joy as I filled my days with these activities. My relief was however short-lived. I begin to feel the side effects of the treatment, such as mouth dryness which led to cracked lips, which progressed to the gradual loss of taste and appetite due to nausea and vomiting. As I did not have appetite to eat, my weight began to fall rapidly and within 4 weeks, I actually lost more than 20 kilograms! This is really an effective weight-loss program. Despite the challenges which I encountered, I was glad I did not give up. My health began to improve and this was confirmed by the doctors as well, who gave their nod of approval. This gave me hope again, of surviving cancer and having my normal life back. As with life, my treatment and recovery period was really a rollercoaster ride. Months after I completed my treatment, I began to experience physical and psychological pain again. The investigations that I had undergone confirmed my worst fear: my cancer had spread to my bones and lungs and the doctor recommended for me to start on another round of radiotherapy. This time, the side effects were more adverse. After much consideration, many sleepless night and consultation with my doctors, I decided to stop treatment as the cons of the treatment weighed heavier than the pros.

Two year battle with cancer: The experience

Somebody asked why I am doing this; taking the time and effort to recount my days of living with nasopharyngeal cancer. I said, To share my experience and let others learn from it. This year will mark my 62th birthday. In the course of my life, I have encountered many events and situations like many of you might go through; the joys and challenges of work, family life and essentially, life itself. One of my greatest struggles was being told that I am diagnosed with cancer, the subsequent years of battling this illness and what ensues thereafter - treatment, a relapse and then to be given my prognosis. However, what I will like to share with you is not just a journey of sadness and denial, but a journey that also has its positive moments amidst the darkness.

The Beginning
I will never forget this fateful day on June, 2010. This was the first time I was given a probable diagnosis of cancer. I had a really bad cough that day which was so serious that I was coughing out blood. During that time, I also noticed a small growth in my nasal pharyngeal (nose-throat) region however dismissed it as nothing serious and merely went to consult my general practitioner (GP) for advice and help. He told me that the growth seems suspicious of being cancerous, I did not take this to heart and went home with some medications hoping that this would improve my condition. On hindsight, I guess a part of me wanted to hold onto the hope that this cancer is just a possibility and that things will pass. I took the medicine religiously and indeed, my condition did improve. However, a month later in July 2010, my condition suddenly took a turn for the worse as my coughing turned more serious and I was coughing out sputum that was thickened with blood. I returned to my GP and immediately, I was referred to National University Cancer Institute, Singapore for a detailed medical checkup. Within a week, I was given an appointment to the hospital for the necessary investigations. An alarm went off in my head as I gradually sensed the severity of my condition which warranted an urgent hospital appointment. The thought that came to my mind then was my GPs earlier suspicion that I could be suffering from cancer might no longer be a mere possibility. It could become my reality. Still I tried to brush away the severity of the situation and did not want to feel exceptionally worried as I have been living a healthy lifestyle and do not smoke nor drink. Any visit to the hospital then was mainly to make the occasional visit to friends or relatives who were unwell. I never thought I would be one who will be visited by them eventually.

The Struggles
Going through treatment was an uphill task. One of the practical challenges was transport as I needed physical assistance then. I had the good fortune of knowing many wonderful people and one of them was my old friend of more than 30 years. Despite his own commitments, he made the extra effort to help me and it was also these valuable relationships that motivated me to continue the fight against cancer and not to give up easily. Giving up my involvement in grassroots activities was also very difficult for me to accept as this has been an activity which I hold very dearly to my heart and it meant a lot to me. At that moment, I felt that cancer had robbed me of my interests and dreams. It was painful. Honestly, I have contemplated suicide as my life seemed meaningless then. I wanted to end my suffering so that people around me will not have to suffer with me.

The Confirmation, Acceptance and Decision

A week later, I went to collect my results of the biopsy. It was confirmed. I have cancer. It was a life-changing moment for me as I knew in my heart that my life is going to be different from now on. Despite all that is happening, the question why has never crossed my mind. To me, that is a selfish thought as it means that somebody else will have to suffer from cancer in my place. Hence, I simply accepted the diagnosis as it is. Things seem to move at lightning speed after the news has been revealed. I can still remember vaguely those words that rang in my ear, treatment, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. My only option then was radiotherapy treatment which my doctor described it to be both complicated and uncomfortable. But what other choice do I have? With the information I have from my doctor, I told him I needed time to think about my options and he agreed. While my doctor reinforced my right to autonomy in making my own treatment decision, I also felt this pressure upon me to make a decision. Since radiotherapy treatment seems to be the best and only available option, I decided to go along with it and accepted this treatment.

The Lessons
Given all that has happened, you might wonder where I have gotten the strength to get to where I am right now. I do think about that a lot too. One important lesson that I have learnt and will like to share with you is the power of encouragement. The support that I have from my family and friends was something that I held onto tightly and endearingly. This was also what saw me through the last 2 years as I braved the challenges of this cancer journey. I cannot emphasis enough the importance of support and it is also through this article that I will like to share with readers my personal experience, with hope that family and friends can support their loved ones through this difficult period of living with cancer. Support may come in different forms, be it financial or emotional and no matter how little you may think it is, it definitely means a lot to the person who is battling with cancer.

The struggle between letting go and holding on

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. - Henry Ellis. I will like to share a story which might be familiar to many. Monks are expected to keep a distance from women, and the monk was confronted and questioned on the rationale behind this act. Another monk who was with him, queried: why did you go against the principle of having physical

The Fight
This is the first time in my whole life that I know and encountered what radiotherapy is about. The commencement of this treatment also marked the start of my battle against cancer. I was told that I needed to complete a total of 33 sessions of radiotherapy and had to report to the hospital every morning,

SpEcIAl tRIButE
proximity with women? The monk replied: Ive let go of her after crossing that river, why didnt you? When I first heard this story, it provoked my thoughts on letting go and holding on. Getting the firsthand news of being stricken with cancer, my immediate response was to deny it, this cannot be happening to me. It took me some time to come to terms with the sentence of having cancer and there was a lot of fear then- I was afraid of losing my family, afraid of the physical suffering, pain and agony. I was at the age where my two children have just grown up and stepped into adulthood after all the painstaking years of supporting them through school. Setting up and taking care of a family was not easy and has its ups and downs, but they are also the most important people in my life. We enjoyed regular family outings and will make the effort to spend time with each other though we have different commitments and schedules. Things were no longer the same after I have cancer. However, one thing remained constant was their unwavering support and love that has kept me going especially during the painful and tough times. I would not have held on without their encouragement and support. To me, kinship ties and family values are very important. I have been blessed with two filial and thoughtful children and my wife has always been there for me. My brothers and sisters shower me with concern as well, not verbally but in their unassuming actions of care. Hence, what I do not wish the most is to letting my cancer become a burden to them and I truly hope that my family will be able to move on in life after I pass on and they can remain as close-knit and united as one. Though I am no longer able to carry out my roles and responsibilities of the past because of my cancer, but I have been given this great opportunity to share my experience because of my cancer as well. For people out there who are going through tough patches in your life, be it family, work or even an illness like cancer; dont give up. Story by Late Mr Koh Si Fook, PBM Written by Lee Ang Yun (NUS intern) Maxim Tan (UOM nursing student) Grace Lai (UOM nursing student) Joshua Gan (UOM nursing student) Edited by Lua Sock Khim (NUH MSW) Compiled by Dover Park Hospice

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BBE BuZZ
We hope you have enjoyed reading this issue of BBE Newsletter, a newsletter published by Bukit Batok East Constituency Office. Come and test your knowledge with this simple quiz and stand a chance to win attractive prizes! Q1: a) b) c) d) What are the games played at Kampong Night? Chapteh Five stones Hop scotch All of the above

Answer:__________________________

Quiz
Name: NRIC: __________________________________ __________________________________ D.O.B (DD/MM/YY): _________________________ Email Address: ______________________________ Race & Gender: M/F Tel: _________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Q2: What item did the Baking Interest Group try to make at their first baking demonstration? a) Cheese cake b) Sponge cake c) Butter cookies d) Cup cake Q3: What activities did the BBE Grassroots organise as warm up to National Day? a) Cake Decoration Contest b) Painting Contest c) Balloon Sculpting d) All of the above

Answer:__________________________

Answer:__________________________

This is the first outing organised by BBE Active Ageing Committee (AAC) with the full support of BBE Grassroots Organisations. 530 participants toured Singapores latest attraction, Gardens by the Bay and visited its 2 cooled observatories, Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.

Congratulations
1) 2) 3) Natarajan Bhuvana SXXXX089I Mariam Bte Baba Tan Tew Cheng SXXXX690B SXXXX769A

Write to us
Dear Bukit Batok East residents, BBE produces a newsletter for its residents every quarter to keep all of us updated on the events and happenings in the constituency. Other than the usual photos of events, the editorial team is keen to get our residents more involved in this newsletter and is looking to include pictures, stories and articles by the residents. This could include any contributions by residents such as any health and fitness articles, or personal sharing. We hope you can help us by contributing such articles for the newsletter. Thank you! Editorial Team (Letters that are successfully published in our Newsletter will be awarded a S$20 voucher from the Editorial team.)

Editorial Committee Adviser :

Mdm Halimah Yacob Grassroots Adviser to Jurong GRC GROs, Minister of State, Ministry of Social and Family Development MP for Jurong GRC

to the winners of our last issues contest

Pls send your completed entries by 16th December 2012 to:

BBE Newsletter Contest, Bukit Batok East Constituency Office, 23 Bukit Batok East , Avenue 4 Singapore 659841

Chairman:
Mr Lee Chuen Fei, PBM

Members:

For more information, please visit our Blog! www.bukitbatokeast.blogspot.com For enquiries, please contact: Tel: 65619044 Fax: 65613609

Ms Sng Khai Imm, Mr Sim Kwang Hwee, Mr Jong Sing Peng Mr Joel Teh

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Hobee Print Pte Ltd Tel: 6296 4289 www.hobee.com/print