Difficult childhood did not stop her from becoming healthcare scholar
When Ms Chew Khee Gek went to school for the first time, she was 11 years old and by far the oldest child in her Primary 1 class.
She did not know the alphabet, could speak to teachers only in Mandarin and - by her own admission - "behaved about the same as a Primary 1 kid".
Yesterday, after working hard to carve a career as a diagnostic ophthalmic technician at the National University Hospital, the 24-year-old received the Healthcare Merit Award - a scholarship given to those with good academic results and a passion for healthcare.
She was one of 134 people to win the award and will pursue a degree in diagnostic radiography at the Singapore Institute of Technology in September.
The Healthcare Scholarships Award ceremony held at Raffles City Convention Centre saw scholarships given out to 189 people for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Ms Chew told The Straits Times that at 16 - when others her age were preparing for their O-level examinations - she had just entered Secondary 1.
"All my siblings started school late," said Ms Chew, who has two brothers and a sister.
Their father was the sole breadwinner as their mother had severe mental health issues.
"My siblings and I became the caregivers to our mother. School was not a priority."
Despite the difficult start, Ms Chew entered the Express stream and later graduated from Temasek Polytechnic with a diploma in biomedical science.
IMPAIRED VISION
She recalled how, about five years ago, her mother began to lose her eyesight because of diabetes. By the time her family found out about it, her mother's vision had been impaired.
"I blamed myself... I kept thinking that it was my fault," said Ms Chew, who was taking her O-level preliminary exams at the time.
"I regretted that I knew nothing about the illness or healthcare. If I had known, we could have taken her to see a doctor."
The incident made her resolve to join the healthcare sector. She is now working as a diagnostic ophthalmic technician.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, who spoke at yesterday's ceremony, told the scholarship holders of the "challenges... and meaningful work" that must be done in the coming years.
"As healthcare scholars, you play an important role in shaping the future of Singapore's public healthcare system," he said.
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