‘Maybe I can bring them some hope’: How one stroke survivor helps fellow survivors bounce back

It happened just hours after he was discharged from the National University Hospital following his third stroke.

He was at home and had woken up at around 3am to use the bathroom when he felt the left side of his body suddenly giving way. He managed to crawl to reach his phone to call for an ambulance while his then 72-year-old mother watched in shock.

Both strokes that day were ischaemic strokes, where a blockage cuts off the blood supply to part of one’s brain.

According to his doctor he had two “mini strokes”, or transient ischaemic attacks, in the past that went unnoticed.

“My biggest worry was that I cannot walk again, and I would become a burden to my mother,” the bachelor said of his series of strokes.

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Singapore, according to the Ministry of Health.

Mr Chiam, who suffered his first stroke about five years ago, said he experienced emotional highs and lows while he was in Alexandra Hospital for about a month after his fourth stroke.

He was grateful he was alive and penned his thoughts in a diary, which he kept by his bedside throughout his one-month stay in Alexandra Hospital.

He knew about the golden recovery period – rehabilitation within the first six months of a stroke – that offers survivors a higher chance of recovery.

Over eight months, Mr Chiam spent two days a week doing rehabilitation exercises with the help of an anti-gravity treadmill which “lightens” his weight while running, at S3 at Jurong Point. S3 has another branch at Lengkok Bahru.

Each one-hour session typically costs around $100, but patients pay much less, thanks to financial assistance and fund raising.

On the days he did not have to go for rehabilitation, Mr Chiam walked his neighbourhood and trained with kettlebells.

“I wanted to see how far I could push myself, and I needed to recover as fast as possible so that I wouldn’t be a burden. That was my only goal,” said Mr Chiam, who decided to quit his job to focus on recovering.

Mr Chiam was passionate about his Lego collection and leather crafting before he suffered the strokes.

By February 2022, he felt he had regained enough mobility to pursue his passion in leather crafting.

He enrolled in the Textile and Fashion Industry Training Centre to pursue a Diploma in Bag Design and Product Development, and graduated in August 2022.

While job hunting, he volunteered his time at S3 as he found it meaningful to interact with fellow stroke survivors who, in turn, motivated him to recover well.

He decided to join S3 as a part-time staff member before eventually becoming a full-time programme coordinator in September 2022.

Mr Chiam became good friends with fellow stroke survivor Suzilawati Mohamad Rais, 51, a former legal secretary, who attends one of the wellness classes he coordinates. She is now a freelancer in e-commerce marketing and administration.

Through her, Mr Chiam learnt how kayaking and gym sessions could also benefit stroke survivors.

“She has become my ‘stroke buddy’. She shares her experience, we motivate each other and tell each other silly jokes. We give each other strength to recover.”

Mr Chiam has regained most of his strength, but still has difficulty coordinating the left side of his body.

Once a heavy smoker and drinker, he now participates in virtual walkathons on an app and collects medals from these.

So far, he has brisk walked more than 420km around his home in Jurong West and has clinched 12 medals.

His fitness has improved drastically.

Said Mr Chiam: “I will make use of my time to spread more awareness about stroke. If my advice can improve another person’s life, it is worth it.”