At VisionSave, we offer financial assistance to those who need it the most. Hear from our patients on how your donations can make a difference in their lives.
Retired 'weatherman' Mr Chee Huck Jee recently celebrated his 90th birthday. Having lost his wife a few years back, he has been living by himself in a small one-room rental flat in the Old airport road area.
Mr Chee seeks solace in keeping his late wife's memory alive by preparing the various dishes she taught him rather than partaking in his favourite Hokkien Mee at the Old Airport Road Hawker Centre - a pastime he can ill afford these days. It is also the only way he can stretch his meagre savings. Apart from cooking for himself, he depends on volunteers from the Lion's befriender and donors from the Food Bank with their donations of tin food. In addition, he enjoys simple pleasures like a 3-hour cycling trip from his home to East Coast Park, usually up to 3 times a week, as well as occasional mahjong sessions at the Senior Activity Centre.
Sadly, Mr Chee started experiencing blurred vision in his eyes as a result of Aged-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), one of the top 4 causes of blindness in Singapore affecting 1 in 4 Singaporeans, aged 60 and above. To make matters worse, he was not responding to the first line drugs, covered by MediSave. It could have affected his independence, rendering him unable to cook his late wife's favourite recipes and cycle to East Coast Park every week.
Fortunately, VisionSave stepped in with the second line treatment, a monthly injection for a year that would have otherwise cost more than $5,000 annually. This long-term solution will save Mr Chee from permanent blindness and allow him to continue enjoying a fulfilling life.
Do your part to help Chee Huck Jee and many others like him regain their vision and improve their quality of living – for as little as S$10.
Donate now
Years ago, when Steven Seow (now 55), then a Safety Officer at an oil rig, was conducting a routine site survey, he stumbled and fell. A seemingly innocuous bruise on his left knee would later lead to an amputation.
Do your part to help Steven Seow and many others like him regain their vision and improve their quality of living – for as little as S$10.
While SNEC and SERI are doing a good job in developing new technologies and devices, it is crucial for people to step forward and contribute to this cause.
Jason Chee has experienced many challenges in life. First, he lost his legs in a naval accident. Then, he lost an eye to choroidal melanoma, a type of eye cancer.
However, he has never let these disabilities keep him down. With his positive outlook and cheerful demeanour, he has gone ahead to strike gold in 2017’s ASEAN Paralympic Games.
Read more about Jason’s inspiring story here.
Do your part to help Jason Chee and many others like him regain their vision and improve their quality of living – for as little as S$10.
TAN HOCK MENGBeneficiary of VisionSave 2017
55-year old Tan was watching TV one evening in mid-2016 when he suddenly lost the ability to see colours in his right eye, as well as what seemed like a bunch of squiggly lines.
‘Since it was only my right eye that was affected, I didn’t think too much of it and chalked it up to old age,” Tan said.
However, at the insistence of his younger sister, he came to SNEC to get a clinical opinion – where he was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Tan was presented with several treatment options – however, his salary as a temporary service staff at a well-known Chinese restaurant chain could only afford him the cheapest options.
‘I was told that I needed to get a monthly eye injection, as well as laser treatment. However, after deducting from MediSave, I could only afford the cheapest injection, which can only prevent my eyesight from deteriorating further instead of improving things,” Tan explained.
Eager for his eyesight to improve, Tan asked his doctor about the options available to him given his financial situation. Upon his doctor’s suggestion, he sought the help of SNEC’s Philanthropy Office, which introduced him to the VisionSave Financial Assistance Scheme.
Under the Scheme, Tan successfully obtained a 6-month sponsorship to undergo a more advanced AMD injection (known as Eylea), as well as cold laser treatment, which significantly helped him improve his AMD.
‘The new treatment has improved my eyesight significantly, and I don’t see squiggly lines anymore. I’m now able to see all colours except yellow with my right eye,” Tan said.
Tan is grateful for the assistance that VisionSave has offered him, and hopes that more people will donate to VisionSave so that more patients can benefit from advanced, cutting-edge treatments.
“By donating to VisionSave, more people will have access to better treatments that can improve their eyesight,” he said.
Do your part to help Tan Hock Meng and many others like him regain their vision and improve their quality of living – for as little as S$10.
PATRICK KOHBeneficiary of VisionSave 2017
At age 52, Patrick’s deteriorating eyesight cost him his job. Patrick and his wife are both deaf and mute. With a school-going son to raise, Koh had to save on the little that he earned doing part-time deliveries to pay for his eye treatments – in addition to the other medical bills he already pays.
Watch the video below to find out more about Patrick’s journey and how VisionSave has helped him enjoy a better quality of life.
Do your part to help Patrick Koh and many others like him regain their vision and improve their quality of living – for as little as S$10.
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the updates to your email inbox...
