A few weeks ago on 3 Sep (Sat), I attend a Piano Recital Charity Fundraiser at KK Hospital Auditorium. The recital was held to raise fund for the Rare Disorders Society Singapore (RDSS).
I was invited to the meaningful event by HTC, as part of their HTC Bloggers Social Responsibilty Program to aid patients suffering from Rare Disorders in Singapore.
By getting more bloggers to spread the word, HTC hopes to continue helping to create awareness and raise funds for the RDSS (Note: HTC has donated proceeds from the HTC LIKES Awards to RDSS and will continue to champion fundraising activities to help the little patients from RDSS).
Headlined by musician John Monteiro and students from his international music school, attendees enjoyed an evening of musical performance and got to know some Rare Disorder patients and their families better as they took to the stage to share their stories.
As a new father, I felt especially close to the stories shared by the parents on their trials and tribulations, bringing up their children who require special care and attention.
Singapore being Singapore, our government is ultra pragmatic and do not extend any financial help for patients with rare disorders, unlike Asian countries such as Japan, Australia and even Malaysia.
Patients with rare orders may need over $200,000 in medical care yearly (in the case of little Chloe and Xin Er, both suffering from Pompe Disease – you can read their sad, yet touching stories on my friend, Calvin Timothy’s blog) and parents are torn between spending the hefty amount to keep their child alive or otherwise.
There should not be a price tag attached to a human life, but this is the sad reality in Singapore where governmental support for those less fortunate in society has always been weak.
Luckily, there are lobby groups like the RDSS and other non-profit organisation and civil self-help groups, formed by kind and compassionate Singaporeans to take up the duties our government fails or chooses not to look into.
Often time, we take too much in life for granted. It is good for us to pause at times and take a look around us to care for those who have fallen behind. This, is the mark of a true First World society.
