When the Covid-19 outbreak happened in Singapore, Singapore healthcare staff rose up to the occasion.
Despite setbacks and sacrifices, these unsung heroes stood firm in the face of adversity.
Remember This Nurse Who Cancelled His Wedding Earlier This Month?
Benjamin Ong is a 29-year-old senior staff nurse at the Department of Emergency Medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH).
In his online post which went viral, he said that he has cancelled his wedding reception earlier this month.
The reason? Because it was the “right thing to do”.
A Socially-Responsible Choice
It was a difficult decision for the couple to make, especially when you take into consideration the amount of planning (and prepayment) that is needed for such a momentous event.
However, the couple didn’t want to risk a spread of the Covid-19 and decided to cancel their wedding anyway.
“We want to avoid large crowds during this uncertain period and take additional precautionary measures.”
Thankfully, the restaurant understood the couple’s plight and has reimbursed the couple with their deposit.
The couple will still proceed to hold a wedding reception after the Covid-19 outbreak is over.
The Reason Behind His Post
When asked about why he made his previous online post, he stated that he wanted the public to know about healthcare workers’ sacrifices and challenges.
He had experienced (and heard of other healthcare staff’s experiences of) being discriminated by Singaporeans.
Other than healthcare workers sacrificing themselves to keep Singapore safe, he also outlined the various precautions taken by hospitals to keep their staff safe.
Empathise With Our Healthcare Staff
Our healthcare staff has had their Annual Leave frozen, their holiday plans cancelled and their workload multiplied.
And yet, they’re still persevering at their jobs because it helps to save lives.
Hearing that, is it too much to ask for “allowing” them to take public transport home together with you?
Or maybe, even a small nod of thanks whenever you see them in public?
Let’s turn our healthcare staff into bona fide heroes instead of letting them remain as a group of unsung heroes*.
Let’s appreciate them and the sacrifices they’ve made for Singapore, just like the 2,000 Grab drivers who volunteered to drive them to and from work.
*An unsung hero is a person who has achieved great things or committed acts of bravery or self-sacrifice, yet is not celebrated or recognized.
