SINGAPORE - Madam Wong Li Li, 63, and Madam Beak Soon Eng, 62, are not just the longest-serving nurses in the Intensive Care Unit at Mount Elizabeth Hospital - they have also been each other's source of strength for the past 28 years.
The pair first met around 1983, when they were both junior nurses at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, before later reuniting at the private hospital in 1991.
Of Madam Wong, Madam Beak said: "She has been my source of strength whenever I'm overwhelmed. It is very encouraging to have someone to listen to you and allow you to vent.
"It's not just the patients - you have to manage the emotional needs of their relatives as well. So this can be quite overwhelming when you have a difficult family who simply refuses to believe what you say," she added.
What keeps them going is when they don't see the patients they know in hospital again.
"The most fulfilling part is when I see a patient walk out of ICU. I always tell them, goodbye, hope not to see you again," said Madam Wong.
The pair spoke with The Straits Times on the occasion of the hospital's 40th anniversary dinner on Saturday (Nov 30) at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre. It was attended by about 500 staff.
The Autism Resource Centre (ARC), the hospital's charity partner this year, received a donation of $175,000 as part of Mount Elizabeth's initiative to support inclusion and empower individuals with autism.
Chief executive of Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Dr Noel Yeo, and Mr Stephens Lo, chief executive of Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, presented a cheque to Ms Ho Ching, adviser to the ARC, and Ms Denise Phua, president of ARC.
The money was raised by Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital in various fund-raising efforts throughout the year.
Ms Phua, who is also MP for Jalan Besar GRC, said in a speech: "Tonight we witness your generosity, and we don't want just compassion or pity. It's also your love, you bothering to care for folks who are different, and including our community into yours."
Mount Elizabeth Hospital, a private hospital located in Orchard, offers specialised medical care in many fields, including cardiology, neurology, and orthopaedics.
Among the pioneer doctors who attended Saturday's event was principal imaging assistant, Mr Osman Ahmad.
The 69-year-old, who manages the processors used for scans such as X-rays and ultrasounds, has worked at the hospital for 40 years. He said he enjoys its familial setting.
Another hospital pioneer is Dr Allan Ng - a retired gynaecologist who worked at Mount Elizabeth for 24 years. He delivered the first-ever baby at the hospital on Dec 20, 1979 - the first of thousands he has since delivered.
The baby girl was subsequently named Elizabeth by her parents.
Asked whether the process of delivering babies has changed, he said: "It hasn't changed much - we're all humans. It's just that with modern medicine, it's easier and less painful."
On what kept him going as a doctor, he said: "You see a baby coming out and crying, it's a wonderful experience. It's a new life. It's almost like a miracle."
