She plans trips, designs rooms and organises parties for sick children
To mark Kindness Day SG, which falls on May 17 in 2024, The Straits Times speaks to individuals who go out of their way to help people and spread kindness.
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Volunteer Rachel Chin, 32, has helped grant 17 wishes so far, doing things like planning itineraries and buying gifts.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
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SINGAPORE - By day, Ms Rachel Chin works in human resources, but in her free time, she “moonlights” as a travel planner and interior designer and even organises parties – just for sick children.
The 32-year-old has been a volunteer with charity organisation Make-A-Wish Singapore for the past five years, helping to grant the wishes of children living with critical illnesses such as cancer and complex brain conditions.
The organisation helps those between the ages of three and 18 who might want a special gift, meet a celebrity or travel to a particular place, among other things. These wishes are funded by donations and partners.
Ms Chin, who has a penchant for planning events, has helped grant 17 wishes so far, doing things such as planning travel itineraries and buying gifts. But what she most enjoys is doing room makeovers for the children she works with.
To her, these are the most fulfilling projects: She spends hours in discussion with the children and parents, designing the layout of their rooms, picking the furniture and fittings and liaising with contractors.
She has done three room makeovers so far, including converting a balcony into a bedroom for an 18-year-old.
It is not always easy. Some children “do not want to talk or will hide” when volunteers visit. Ms Chin uses games such as board games to break the ice, and once had to visit a child thrice before she finally opened up.
For Ms Chin, who was diagnosed with leukaemia when she was four, helping these young people is a way for her to pay it forward.
When she was 13, she wanted a laptop and printer, and volunteers with Make-A-Wish gifted her an Acer Ferrari laptop because they knew of her love for horses – the Ferrari logo features a horse. They even took her horse riding.
Her experience made her feel like she was not defined by her illness, and is what drives her to volunteer now that she is older.
She told The Straits Times that she has seen how happy the children become after their wishes are granted. The experience gives them “a window” to see the many possibilities in life, she said.
Volunteers Nur’ain Ahmad (left) and Rachel Chin bring along board games from Make-A-Wish Singapore to break the ice at first meetings with children.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
