Support that goes a long way

Patient support groups offer education, empathy and more to help those coping with conditions and recovery

- Amrita Kaur

VITILIGO: A SPACE TO SHARE AND FEEL SEEN When Ms Madhumita Mahyandran was diagnosed with vitiligo in February, she was distraught. She held back her tears in front of the doctor, but after the appointment, she went to Novena Church, broke down and asked: "Why me?"

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system attacks skin pigment cells, turning a person's skin white due to the loss of pigment or melanin.

"I had so many questions running through my mind. Why did this happen to me when no one in my family has vitiligo? Will it affect my career? Can I still continue working?" says the 26-year-old nurse, who is single.

After the diagnosis, she withdrew from others, often cancelling meet-ups with friends and skipping family gatherings.

"I wasn't prepared to explain or show my changing skin to others, and I felt vulnerable. Every time I looked in the mirror, I would quietly cry because it was hard to accept what I was seeing," says Ms Madhumita.

Ms Malini Thyagesan, 47, understands these feelings all too well. She has been living with the condition since 1990 and, along the way, met many others who felt alone, confused or unsure about how to deal with it.

Some were strangers who would approach her and ask how she coped, while others were parents asking for advice about their child.

"People were craving connection and, simply by sharing my own journey, I could make a difference. It made me realise people need a space to talk, share and feel seen," says the senior lecturer at Republic Polytechnic's School of Applied Science.

So, earlier in 2025, she decided to start a support group for those with vitiligo.

While there are no figures on the number of people with vitiligo in Singapore, the National Skin Centre estimates 1 per cent of around 50,000 new patients seen at the centre yearly have been diagnosed with the condition.