WALKING THEM HOME

Terminally ill patients at Dover Park Hospice have been able to walk their last mile with grace and dignity through the fundraising work of Karen Soh and her team. The physician tells us why there is an ever-growing need to support this cause.

- YANNI TAN

It has been 11 years since Karen Soh has been actively involved in raising funds for Dover Park Hospice (DPH), and her passion continues to burn brightly. After all, as a doctor, she has a heart for the aged sick, what more those who are in the last stages of their lives. Today, she is DPH's co-chairman of the fundraising committee, where she oversees donor stewardship and finds more avenues to raise monies.

During the pandemic, she was instrumental in transforming DPH's annual Sunflower Charity Gala into a successful virtual event for three consecutive years. This August, as DPH celebrates its 30th anniversary, the signature dinner will return in a physical format at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore on Saturday, August 19. Read on to find out why it promises to be worth every bit of your support.

What inspired you to champion DPH?

Charity work is hugely empowering and humbling at the same time. Being able to improve the quality of life of others is a privilege, and it allows me to consider my role as a steward of what God has given me. I have also always admired my peers who work in palliative care as it takes a special heart and patience. I believe that regardless of how or what one has done, a dignified and compassionate approach to end-of-life care is a human right.

How have the needs of the organisation and beneficiaries evolved?

Traditionally, palliative care is prescribed for patients with cancer. However, with the increased incidence of chronic complex cases and frailty, the same philosophy of palliative care for patients in the last stages of life can also apply to non-cancer patients.