Singaporean of the Year finalist: He is ‘son’ to dying IMH patients with no family

SINGAPORE – A man in his 60s was playing cards, chatting with volunteers and petting a therapy dog at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), where he stayed.

Less than three hours later, he could no longer hold water in his mouth when a nurse tried to help him drink.

The man had no next of kin. But volunteer Yong Kwon Seng sat by his bed, holding his hand and playing soft music until the beeping of the heart monitor stopped and his grip loosened.

Yong had kept his promise to him: “I will journey with you till the end.”

The 40-year-old educator has been volunteering at IMH for 16 years. He has missed only two sessions – in 2022, when he was too bereft to turn up after his mother died of a stroke.

Yong is a finalist for The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award, which is given to a Singaporean or group of citizens who have made a significant contribution to society.

This can be through achievements that put Singapore on the world stage, or by going beyond the call of duty to selflessly improve the lives of others in the community, among other ways.

The award is organised by The Straits Times and presented by UBS Singapore.

At IMH, Yong noticed that some patients never had family visiting during the public holidays. He began showing up almost every Saturday and public holiday to befriend long-stay patients.

But he also began wondering who would accompany these patients when they were dying.

This led Yong to start the No One Dies Alone programme at IMH in 2019. Its eight volunteers befriend critically ill patients who have no family, accompanying them in the final stretch of their lives. These patients are mostly seniors.

The team has so far kept 19 patients company till their deaths. “I cannot take away their pain or bring them home. But what we promise the first time I meet them, I make sure I do it. And I hope at the end, they feel a sense of comfort or at least that there is someone beside them,” he said.

Yong asked to be listed as the patients’ emergency contact so the hospital can reach him when anything happens.

He keeps his phone’s ringer on 24/7 and the phone beside his bed when he sleeps.

“I tell them, call me any time of the day,” he said. “I am quite scared that if I miss a phone call and it is from the hospital, then I cannot go to him or her.”

In one elderly woman’s final hours, he sat by her bedside from midnight to 6am, before leaving for work and letting another volunteer take over. The woman died shortly after.

“Whether it is speaking to them, holding their hands or playing their favourite songs, Kwon Seng offers a reassuring presence, even when they may no longer be able to respond,” said Kelvin Yeo, senior manager of the Woodbridge Hospital Charity Fund, the philanthropic arm of IMH.

Yong and fellow volunteers also make funeral arrangements for patients, and ensure they are treated with dignity and compassion, he said.

Yong, the youngest of three children, grew up with an older brother who had a severe intellectual disability. He said his late mother inspired him to volunteer at IMH.

“My brother was always shouting. We kept our doors shut all the time because nobody wanted to get close to us. Whenever people walked past our doors, they said nasty things like ‘this family got crazy people’.”

His late mother, who worked as a dishwasher, dedicated her life to taking care of her disabled son.

“That was her sole purpose in life. She never had a chance to go overseas or eat out for over 40 years. She took care of him single-handedly, going to work at night so she could feed us.”

“When I saw her love for my brother, I wanted to emulate her.”

Her sudden death in 2022 left him devastated. He took on the care of his brother, now 46. He now lives with his brother, sister and a domestic helper.

Between his volunteer work and caring for his brother, Yong has little time left for himself.

The bachelor said marriage is not on the cards for him. “I have not met my friends for a long time. I don’t go out. I don’t watch movies.”

But the patients, who affectionately call him “Ah Seng”, are like family to him.

On top of No One Dies Alone, Yong now leads 450 volunteers in hosting activities for the patients every weekend and public holiday, from karaoke and popiah-making to festive celebrations, including giving out much-anticipated red packets during Chinese New Year.

He also lines up new experiences, letting them walk the runway in fashion shows and cast votes in mock elections. “Whatever is happening outside, we want to bring them in,” he said.

Yong was once angered by a remark asking why he was spending so much time with the patients instead of his family, or a different cause “with a future”.

“Our friends have talents, aspirations. They are regular people, needing love and care, and a sense of belonging,” he said of the IMH patients.

“I call them by their names to make sure that they know they are seen... They just want to make friends with you.”

Before he leaves, Yong always tells them the same thing: “See you next week.”

Singaporean of the Year Award

The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year (SOTY) is an award that is given to a Singaporean or group of citizens who have made a significant contribution to society. This can be through achievements that put Singapore on the world stage, or by going beyond the call of duty to selflessly improve the lives of others in the community, among other ways.

Organised by The Straits Times and presented by UBS Singapore, the annual award is now in its 12th year. The official airline partner is Singapore Airlines and the global hotel partner is Millennium Hotels and Resorts.

How to nominate:

Prizes for award recipient and finalists

The award recipient will receive:

• $20,000 in cash

• One pair of Singapore Airlines business-class tickets for each individual/group, up to three pairs of tickets for the winning group

• A five-night stay in any of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ properties globally, up to a maximum of three sets of accommodation for the winning group

Finalists will receive:

• $5,000 cash for each individual/group

• One pair of Singapore Airlines economy-class tickets for each individual/group, up to a maximum of three pairs for each group of finalists

• A three-night stay in one of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ properties globally, up to a maximum of three sets of accommodation for each finalist

International Impact Award

The award seeks to honour Singaporeans who have made a positive impact beyond Singapore’s borders, contributing to the country’s global reputation.

They must have delivered a project, initiative or body of work that benefited a community or country outside Singapore.

The award recipient will receive:

• $20,000 in cash

Young Singaporean of the Year Award

The award seeks to recognise a Singaporean under 18 who has shown courage, compassion, empathy, kindness or a spirit of service, and has made a positive impact among peers.

The award recipient will receive:

• $5,000 in cash

• A pair of Singapore Airlines economy-class tickets

• A three-night stay in one of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ properties globally, up to a maximum of three sets of accommodation for each finalist.