"Social work is about strategic and appropriate transformation of people's lives by studying their fit in all aspects of familial and communal living."

​"As a child, I lived in a neighbourhood where modern private houses and wooden communal houses, known as ‘kampong’ houses sat side by side. This co-existence revealed a stark contrast between the rich and poor and sparked my curiosity about the disparity in social classes. It got me to start observing the different ways people live their lives, and how families communicate, bond and show their love.

Social work is about strategic and appropriate transformation of people's lives by studying their fit in all aspects of familial and communal living.

My world view changed over the course of my career. I came to see that despite suffering or illness, the poor or vulnerable can be happy, and that individuals with serious illness can find meaning in their lives. That is when the opportunity to join NCCS came along. At NCCS, I support patients on their cancer journey, from diagnosis and treatment to discharge.”

- Dr Gilbert Fan (on the right in the photo above), Master Medical Social Worker, Department of Psychosocial Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)

Find out more about Dr Fan’s work in Salubris (Issue 60) by NCCS.