SINGAPORE - Mr Raymond Balakrishnan, 72, had the first of about 20 heart attacks in 2017 and went into a coma for more than two months.
When his hospital stay ended, he was admitted to Assisi Hospice and had to use a wheelchair.
Today, Mr Balakrishnan - who was a rigger tasked with moving heavy objects on construction sites before he retired - is able to walk on his own, and the credit, he says, goes to the nurses at the hospice and their dedication to caring for him.
To show his appreciation, he took part in Assisi Hospice's first virtual run and walk "I Race for Nurses" on Thursday morning (July 1) to clock distance for Adidas Singapore vouchers that the nurses can redeem for shoes.
He said: "The nurses never hesitated to help me with difficult tasks, such as going to the toilet. They would even drop by during their lunch time to encourage me.
"If not for them, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Raymond Balakrishnan Prabhakaran, 72, retiree and patient at Assisi Hospice.
ST20210701_202169978666/rarace01-ol/rarace02/Rosalind Ang Swee Wen/Timothy David
Nurses often "walk the extra mile" for patients. To care for patients with terminal illnesses, an Assisi Hospice nurse has to walk 12 km per day. This Nurses' Day, Assisi Hospice is launching "I Race for Nurses" virtual run/walk to encourage the public to appreciate nurses by walking, running, and donating. For every 100km covered, a $100 voucher which can be redeemed for shoes will be gifted to an Assisi nurse by adidas Singapore. All Assisi nurses will receive a $100 voucher each for Nurses' Day when the collective goal of 15,000km is reached. 20 patients from Assisi Hospice will take the lead in a fun walk at Assisi Hospice's Courtyard to do their part to show appreciation to the nurses who provide care and comfort to them and their family.
ST PHOTOS: TIMOTHY DAVID
PHOTO: ST
Besides Mr Balakrishnan, 19 other patients also took part in the walk at the hospice's courtyard. They clocked a total of 9km.
For every 100km covered in the race, Adidas Singapore will give a $100 voucher as a gift to an Assisi nurse. When the collective goal of 15,000km is reached, all the hospice nurses will receive a voucher.
The race, which is open to the public, has received sign-ups from over 3,400 participants since registration opened in June.
Members of the public have donated more than $18,000 on the race's donation platform, which can be found here.
The hospice is located in Thomson Road near Mount Alvernia Hospital.
It organised the event to celebrate Nurses' Day on Aug 1, in appreciation of the nurses who walk up to 12km daily in the course of carrying out their duties.
Assisi nurse Rachael Adeline Wong, 32, who has been in the profession for 12 years, said: "I feel like my work is being acknowledged and appreciated. Shoes are important for nurses because we need to walk a lot.
"I'm also glad the patients enjoyed themselves in this walk too. If they are happy, I'm happy as well."
Assisi nurse Rachael Adeline Wong and one of her patients, Madam Tai Swee Heng.
ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID
The virtual race will take place from Thursday to July 31 and is free for those who wish to participate. People can sign up at this website.
