3 minute read
PAYING IT FORWARD
Inspirational stroke survivor Mr Rosli bin Hadi volunteers at Yishun Community Hospital. Besides lending a helping hand, he also offers hope, a listening ear, and advice to other patients. It is no wonder he won the Healthcare Humanity Award in April.
The days following his stroke were some of the darkest for Mr Rosli. That is understandable — the sudden onset of weakness, immobility and anxiety would worry even the most extreme optimist. Somehow, he found the motivation to get better.
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“I am naturally quite positive; despite my stroke, my personality helped me to recover,” shares the 54-year-old. Telling himself that he would and could walk again, he dedicated himself to his stroke recovery therapy programme. Within a month, he was well enough to be discharged.
Today, he is back at Yishun Community Hospital (YCH) — not as a patient, but as a volunteer. While most would prefer to leave their illness in the past and not visit a place steeped in those memories, Mr Rosli looks at it differently. After all, YCH was the place where he recovered, and a place where others were going through the same experience as he had. “I wanted to volunteer because I wanted to help other stroke survivors,” he explains.
It is also a way for him to stay active post-stroke. His physician, Dr Djoni Huang, Principal Staff Physician at YCH, is impressed by Mr Rosli’s selflessness and compassion. “During his own illness, Mr Rosli witnessed many others suffering from the same condition and had a strong calling to volunteer,” he recalls.
INSPIRING OTHERS
Mr Rosli has been volunteering for about a year now. These days, he goes to YCH about twice a month. He wheels patients from YCH to the Specialist Outpatient Clinics or takes on a befriender role. He admits that he did not think that such simple acts would be significant for patients. However, when patients learn that he is a stroke survivor, their eyes would light up with curiosity. “They often ask, ‘How did you get better?’”
Sharing his own experiences has become a form of encouragement for many of the patients he encounters in his volunteer work. Mr Rosli even helps out at the gym during therapy sessions, sometimes explaining the role of certain basic exercises and reinforcing the techniques taught by physiotherapists. “I tell patients this is not a place to sleep! It is a place to recover. The ‘community’ in community hospital is because the goal is for us to go back into the community,” he enthuses.
MR ROSLI BIN HADI
LIVING WELL AFTER STROKE
Looking back on his illness, Mr Rosli sees it as a lesson for living well. “I don’t think about my stroke as a bad thing. It encourages me to take care of myself more,” he affirms. He credits his volunteer work for not only adding meaning to his life, but also for helping him in his recovery from stroke — it keeps him active and reinforces a positive mindset as he helps other people. “I am encouraged to come back to volunteer because I want to help people and I want to see stroke survivors like myself smile.”
“Volunteerism is a form of occupation that holds much therapeutic value. One can gain a sense of value and belonging in the community through volunteering,” explains YCH occupational therapist Beryl Lim. “Despite the challenges in his journey, Mr Rosli is recognised for his consistent efforts in motivating and inspiring other stroke survivors with his valuable experiences. We are greatly blessed and thankful for his dedication.”
INSPIRED TO BE A VOLUNTEER?
The links below have information on how to sign up and a list of areas where you can chip in.
KTPH: www.ktph.com.sg/volunteer
YCH: www.yishuncommunityhospital. com.sg/join-us/volunteers
