Dear BTSS Family,
About this time last year, we abruptly cancelled our Chinese New Year support group meeting and customary “Lohei”. In addition, our 6th Founder’s Day celebration scheduled in March 2020 and Brainy Car Rally in Nov 2020 were scrapped.
In response, BTSS very quickly instituted our ZOOM support group meetings under the leadership of committee member, Peter Koh. With the assistance of volunteers Katherine Chin and William Seah, our Support Group Team has been able to reach out to many new members and refer them to receive practical assistance through BTSS counselling and welfare programmes.
BTSS worked closely with NCSS to distribute COVID-19 care packages and masks donated by thoughtful members of our community. We also moved our Medical Talks online, covering topics like ‘Brain Tumours and COVID-19’ and ‘Side Effects of BT Treatments’. To maintain engagement with our community, we started BTSS Birthday Blessings under the leadership of committee member, Nam, who is assisted by volunteer William Seah.
With our Fund Raising severely affected by the pandemic, BTSS launched a digital campaign based on the inspiring life story of our committee member, Shawn Low, on Facebook and YouTube. The funds raised are still modest and we appreciate your kind support to share our campaign and donate generously towards our establishment and programmes.
Several community events were facilitated through ZOOM. Towards the end of 2020, we were able to resume small group events such as the local tours while our youths also organised 2 small group outings. We are planning to organise some interesting small group events in March 2021 in celebration of our 7th Founder’s Day. Watch out for more details!
The greatest impact of COVID-19 restrictions has been on those who are newly diagnosed, those undergoing active treatments and facing relapses. Thanks to BTSS WhatsApp groups, these members have been able to receive peer support in their toughest times. To encourage and facilitate even more discussion and interaction, BTSS will activate a BTSS Facebook Community Group in April 2021.
Behind the scenes in 2020, BTSS Senior Manager, Jackie Lee, had been busy working with the EXCO to set-up our financial and governance systems. Jackie has requested to step down as an employee of BTSS on 28 Feb 2021 to focus her attention on her family. Thankfully, Jackie will remain with BTSS as an EXCO member. The EXCO has decided to split her portfolio between 2 new executives. Ms Crystal Tan is currently on a WSG Career Trial with us and will join as a Finance and Governance Executive on a part-time work arrangement in March. Our new Programme Executive, Ms Janie Joseph, will join BTSS full-time on 15 March 2021. In a nutshell, Crystal will process all members’ grant applications and claims while Janie will be point of liaison for members, volunteers and partners for BTSS online and in-person events and programmes.
The mission of BTSS has always been ‘Connecting to Befriend, Enable and Empower’ so that we can walk with every brain tumour patient and family at every stage of their brain tumour journey. With increased manpower capacity, BTSS is looking forward to adding more value to our members and supporters through better outreach and governance.
In closing, although it was a challenging disease that has brought us together, we have built a meaningful supportive community that has been conferred the Inspirational Patient Group Award by Singapore Health in 2020. Indeed, having a brain tumour does not limit our capacities to live life well, as many in our community have shown from their inspiring examples. I encourage our amazing BTSS community to grow in our core values of Benevolence, Thoughtfulness, Spiritedness and Service to be more and do more for ourselves, our families, our community and country.
