Generation Grit
Overcoming adversity without losing heart
Diagnosed with a severe and rare heart condition at birth, Ms Boo Kai Ni could not walk more than 300m without pausing for breath. Yet, she never wavered in her determination to seek a better future. Having beaten the odds, she is now committed to being a voice for others.
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Cara Wong
One of the happiest moments of 22-year-old Boo Kai Ni's life came two years ago, when she managed to climb the stairs of an overhead bridge for the first time.
She had just recovered from an operation for a severe heart defect, and she had walked to the overhead bridge near the hospital to "test out" her newly mended organ.
"You don't know how happy I was when I could finally climb it," said Ms Boo.
Until her operation, this everyday act had been impossible, as she had been born with a severe and rare heart condition known as congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries, in which the lower half of her heart is reversed.
About 0.5 per cent of patients with diseases of the heart have this condition, according to Ms Boo's consultant, cardiothoracic surgeon Loh Yee Jim.
It meant that her heart had problems pumping blood around her body, so Ms Boo could not physically exert herself, as she was easily exhausted and short of breath. Sometimes, her extremities would turn purple from a lack of oxygen.
Growing up, she questioned why she could not do what other children could.
"It was small things like having to take care of other people's bags while they did their Napfa (National Physical Fitness Award)," she added.
And, instead of walking up the stairs like her schoolmates to her classrooms, Ms Boo took the lift meant for teachers.
Some schoolmates teased her about it, saying she had "special treatment" from the teachers, and said it was unfair that she could use the lifts while they could not.
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GENERATION GRIT
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Their mean-spirited remarks affected Ms Boo, who became more withdrawn and less confident as the years went by.
"I think that was the start of my low self-esteem," she added.
In secondary school, she kept mum about her condition as she was afraid of being seen and treated differently.
"Nobody knew about my condition; they knew only that I had poor health. I was afraid they'd look at me the way others did in primary school," she said.
In addition to her own problems, there were difficulties at home, where she was the younger of two children to a technician and a housewife.
When Ms Boo was finishing her last two years in secondary school, her father, the sole breadwinner of the family, was diagnosed with kidney failure.
He also suffered a heart attack, and his multiple health conditions resulted in a major health scare in 2014, when he was hospitalised after a food poisoning incident triggered a drastic drop in his kidney function.
His condition became so serious that the doctors told Ms Boo, her mother and her older brother to be prepared to let him go.
"We were all crying very hard outside the ward. My dad is a good father, he worked overtime every day for us, for this family," she said.
Her father pulled through but could not go back to work because of his health problems. The family of four now rely on Ms Boo's mother, who began working as a support officer in a secondary school.
Ms Boo also contributed by working part-time jobs during her holidays.
In the midst of all this, Ms Boo awaited heart surgery as her condition had worsened.
She had a place in Republic Polytechnic's (RP) arts and theatre management diploma course, but had to skip many classes as she was too unwell to go.
Her constant absence from school and sickly constitution meant she was unable to participate in many class activities or play an active part in group projects.
"Even when I was back (in school), I was that classmate who was never around. I felt very left out," she said.
In 2017, she underwent surgery to fix her heart. The procedure would stabilise only her heart condition for another 30 years, after which she might need to have a heart transplant.
It had many side effects, for which she would have to take medication daily, and she cannot get pregnant as it would put her health at great risk, said Ms Boo.
Despite all these drawbacks, she was determined to go for it.
"I had been waiting 20 years for this operation; I couldn't give up on it now," she said.
After the operation, she stayed for a month at KK Women's and Children's Hospital to recuperate.
While there, she saw many young patients with heart conditions. Some were babies, while others were in their teens.
A very energetic young boy in her ward died during his operation, she recalled.
"I saw a lot of life and death in this ward. It had an impact," she said.
It was then she realised how many patients there were in Singapore who had heart conditions. Yet many were "invisible" as their conditions were not well understood by the public.
"People judge other people so easily; in my case they laughed at me without realising I had a heart condition," said Ms Boo.
"It all leads to even more emotional stress.
"After my surgery, I told my mum I would use the rest of my life to be a voice for them."
Now back in school and in her final year at RP, Ms Boo is creating 15 pieces of art detailing 15 different kinds of heart conditions. These will be exhibited at Safra Punggol on June 22 and 23.
Her mentor in RP, Ms Azizah Zakaria, said she saw Ms Boo transform into an energetic and confident student after her operation.
"When I first knew her, she was timid and soft-spoken, and her self-esteem seemed very low. She was going through a lot for a girl at 17 years old, but she was also determined and resilient," said Ms Azizah.
"After she came back, she's like a totally new person. She's radiant, she speaks a lot more in class and more confidently; it's heartwarming to see her develop in that way."
For overcoming these adversities and thriving in spite of them, Ms Boo will be awarded the school's Republic award in August.
Looking back on all that she has been through, Ms Boo said she would not have made it if not for the support of people around her.
She had help from her school's counsellors and mentors throughout secondary school and at RP. Her mother was also her "best counsellor", she said.
Her advice to others in similar situations?
"Never give up and you are already halfway to success."
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