Today (08/10/05) if u have read the straits time forum section, you would noticed an entry by a mdm named assoc prof lee weiling. To those ignorant of who she is, she is the daughter of MM lee and some big shot in neuroscience. Neuroscience i think is those docs who specialised in the brains. The entry seems to see that the public donations to the siamese twins, huang na, the yishun siblings and some other unfortunate kids are being "unwisely" donated.
Why is this so? Well take for instance the nepal siamese twins case. Although their body is separated, yet they seems to be worse off as one is in a semi vegetable state and the other is sort of have a less than average IQ. For the yishun twins, they went all the way to taiwan for the separation which they could be done in singapore at a lesser cost. But it seems the yishun twins ability to walk with clutches are only temporary and now they are mostly bedridden. As for huang na, the money donated to her is of no use as she is dead.
After reading this entry, it set me thinking. Its true that singaporean love to donate to whatever cause. However, our kindness, has it really been misplaced? I don't know really.
For instance, the nepalese twins. To the public, seeing such cases, which are rare in singapore, bring about astonishment and sadness. Perhaps because in singapore there is practically no siamese twins, thats why people are anxious when they arrived here. And seeing them in that state, we donate money hoping them to be separated as a perfectly human has only 2 sets of limbs, 1 head and a torso. I don't think the public is aware or think about the implication of how are they going to survive when they are separated. I don't think the public know that they will become like that after separated.
The public donate out of goodwill. Although singaporean love to complain, but we donate out of goodwill really. So i don't think its misplaced sympathy or whatever. Perhaps the only people to blame for the predicement is the doctors. They are know their stuff, yet they performed the operation. I don't think its for the money but rather for the limelight for themselves and the hospital.
No matter what, public donation are a form of empathy for the less fortunate in this country. They musn't be discouraged.
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1 comment:
who says the yishun siblings are bedridden? Let me tell you, they are perfectly fine. They have put on weight, looking real healthy and happy. Even the sister is learning how to walk. How can you say they are bedridden.. you saw them in bed?
I know them so i can tell who are the ones talking nonsense.
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