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ST Medical Mysteries

Medical Mysteries

2-year-old S’pore boy is one of estimated 400 in world with disease caused by single altered gene

Teyden Hamilton Ho, who has Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim syndrome, with his father, Ho Jun Han, and mother, Tizane Woo.
Teyden Hamilton Ho, who has Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim syndrome, with his father, Ho Jun Han, and mother, Tizane Woo.

Medical Mysteries

Rare disorder leaves toddler struggling to produce cell energy

Little Oliver Soh began having seizures and showed signs of developmental delay within months of his birth. The toddler, seen here with his father, Keltonn Soh, and mother, Leow Kai Wen, has primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency.
Little Oliver Soh began having seizures and showed signs of developmental delay within months of his birth. The toddler, seen here with his father, Keltonn Soh, and mother, Leow Kai Wen, has primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency.

Medical Mysteries

Living with an extra X chromosome: How one man cracked the code to his condition

Former nurse Tim (not his real name) was diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome, a genetic condition caused by an extra X chromosome.
Former nurse Tim (not his real name) was diagnosed with Klinefelter syndrome, a genetic condition caused by an extra X chromosome.

Medical Mysteries

Work stress led woman to discover genetic condition that looks like heart attack

Cardiologist Tang Hak Chiaw and his patient Christina Chua, who has the genetic heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Cardiologist Tang Hak Chiaw and his patient Christina Chua, who has the genetic heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Medical Mysteries

Girl born with skin missing from her scalp, body, arms and legs, treated with her own lab-grown skin

Siti Abdullah (right) with her husband Abdul Rahman and their daughter Sumayyah, who was born without skin on nearly 40 per cent of her body.
Siti Abdullah (right) with her husband Abdul Rahman and their daughter Sumayyah, who was born without skin on nearly 40 per cent of her body.

Medical Mysteries

Singer’s rare benign spinal tumour kept at bay with proton beam therapy

Hasyima Yusof (right) with her husband, Jaime Cruz, at the National Cancer Centre Singapore on July 21. Hasyima had spinal ependymoma, a very rare tumour that develops from the cells lining the spinal cord.
Hasyima Yusof (right) with her husband, Jaime Cruz, at the National Cancer Centre Singapore on July 21. Hasyima had spinal ependymoma, a very rare tumour that develops from the cells lining the spinal cord.

Medical Mysteries

Dad overhauls his lifestyle to become a living liver donor for his toddler with rare condition

Service staff Noel Joshua Selvanathan with his son Isaiah Luiz Noel, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Alagille Syndrome.
Service staff Noel Joshua Selvanathan with his son Isaiah Luiz Noel, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Alagille Syndrome.

Medical Mysteries

When back pain turns out to be cancer – and something more

Cancer survivor Ranald Lai, who has also Li-Fraumeni syndrome - a rare genetic disorder that increases a person’s cancer risks - with his doctor, senior medical oncologist Valerie Yang.
Cancer survivor Ranald Lai, who has also Li-Fraumeni syndrome - a rare genetic disorder that increases a person’s cancer risks - with his doctor, senior medical oncologist Valerie Yang.

Medical Mysteries

Two brothers diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare disorder dubbed ‘childhood dementia’

Matthew Leong, 29, was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare rare and brutal disorder that’s dubbed “childhood dementia”. His mother Sharmaine Lau, 58, had been by his side, taking care of him for over 20 years.
Matthew Leong, 29, was diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome, a rare rare and brutal disorder that’s dubbed “childhood dementia”. His mother Sharmaine Lau, 58, had been by his side, taking care of him for over 20 years.

Medical Mysteries

Wired for relief: Man gets electrical pulses in spine to block pain from rare, debilitating condition

Strolling around the grounds of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) with his doctors (left) Low Shiong Wen, who heads the Neurosurgery, and anesthetist Harinda Goonesekera (right). Slow walk was something Arshad could not do two years ago.
Strolling around the grounds of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) with his doctors (left) Low Shiong Wen, who heads the Neurosurgery, and anesthetist Harinda Goonesekera (right). Slow walk was something Arshad could not do two years ago.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.