ST Medical Mysteries

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.

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.

Medical Mysteries

Toddler’s rare diagnosis gives family answers to her developmental delays

Three-year-old Tabitha Lowe is diagnosed with Okur-Chung Neurodevelopmental Syndrome (OCNDS), a rare condition first identified in 2016. She is blowing bubbles with her father Joshua Lowe, 35, mother Tiffany Tan, 34, and younger brother Judah, one.

Medical Mysteries

Half her vision went dark. It was not an eye problem but her nervous system under attack

Madam Tan Lee Chern and her son Mr Lee Rui Xuan. Madam Tan was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).

Medical Mysteries

Couple prepared their 7 children for the arrival of their ‘special sister’

Video producer Eu-jin Lim and his wife Eunice Wong with their children, (from left) Ethan, 12; Eusebius, four; Ezekiel, seven; Emmanuel, six; Eva, 15 months; Esther, two; Evron, nine; and Elijah, 10.

Medical Mysteries

Diarrhoea, sinus infections for a year: Living with invisible conditions

(From left) Software engineer Jerry Tan, 41, and Administrator, Brian Chan, 30, were diagnosed with primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) late in life, making it difficult as symptoms are often mistaken for common, non-related illnesses such as the flu or food poisoning.

What are the health risks of getting a tattoo?

Process of making tattoo, closeup

Medical Mysteries

After getting a series of tattoos, she developed pain and blurry vision in her right eye

Tattoo-associated vision loss, while rare, causes chronic inflammation of the eye, which can appear years after the tattoo is done.

Medical Mysteries

Living with growing muscle weakness, movement challenges and seizures

Student of visual communications at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Abigail Chua, 20, inherited her rare condition from her mother.

ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Medical Mysteries

Jogger rushed to hospital after ‘super rare’ allergic reaction triggered by exercise

Ms Selina Ang (right) travelling with her son Caleb Lim to Nepal.

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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.