I was deeply moved by the stories of Ms Dollar Christine Abbott and Madam Amedah Osman, who were adopted as children and are retracing their roots ("'Giveaway girl' grateful for birth mother's heart-rending choice" and "At 57, she is looking for her biological family", both published last Sunday).

Putting a child up for adoption is never an easy decision for any mother.

Former chief justice Yong Pung How once described the bond between a mother and her child as "the most fundamental bond of mankind" ("There's no substitute for child's natural mum"; Nov 16, 1997).

In adoption, a birth mother who is single sacrifices her natural desire to be with her child so that her child can enjoy the love and care of not only a mother, but also a father.

It is a selfless act, born out of suffering, that reflects a profound maternal love.

I greatly respect the sacrifices of all birth mothers, and wish Ms Abbott and Madam Amedah all the best in their search for the courageous women whose life-giving decisions enabled them to gain new identities and families, with hope and a future.

Darius Lee