Even after taking precautions, some people may still be confronted by a health crisis.
Early treatment and rehabilitation are then crucial in making a strong comeback, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said yesterday, pointing to his own recovery from stroke.
He was speaking at the inaugural National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) Brain Awareness carnival at Our Tampines Hub. The event is one close to his heart.
Mr Heng suffered a severe stroke during a Cabinet meeting last Mayand was discharged from Tan Tock Seng Hospital in late June. He returned to work two months later.
Aimed at raising awareness of neurological conditions, such as stroke and dementia, the carnival is the NNI's first large-scale public education campaign in the heartland. Over 2,000 visitors are expected at the event, which will be held over the weekend from 9am to 6pm.
Touching on his own experience, Mr Heng said: "Even with the best prevention, things can go wrong. When I was in hospital, they checked everything about me and found out that, actually, I was at a low risk of (getting a) stroke." But "low risk does not mean no risk", he stressed.
And when someone does fall ill, he said the treatment will make a big difference "the more disciplined we are about the recovery and rehabilitation, and doing our best in areas... within our control".
Ultimately, prevention is the best cure, said Mr Heng, who urged residents to go for regular health screenings and follow up on advice by the doctors.
In his speech, NNI medical director Ng Wai Hoe said that Mr Heng had expressed a desire to help educate the public on stroke, while he was still recovering in the hospital.
He also shared an anecdote of how Mr Heng still had the residents of his constituency in mind, even while he was in intensive care.
"After being cooped up in the room for so long, we thought it would be nice, when we walked past (the hospital garden), to just stop and let him have a view," he said, referring to the time Mr Heng was taken for a routine brain scan.
"We paused there for a while... and he turned to us and told us he had ideas to improve our garden," he added. "Later on, he shared that Our Tampines Hub was always on his mind and he was thinking of how to beautify the place."
After launching the carnival, Mr Heng joined a mass exercise session, before touring the information booths and health exhibition.
Retirees Shu Yong Poin and Chow Siew Choo, who are in their 80s, visited several booths to speak to neurologists. Said Ms Chow, who does taiji regularly: "Prevention is important. Now that I am older, I hope to learn how to live healthier."
