In 2007, the late Mr Fok Chu On established the Fok Chu On Family Bursary at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine). Having received excellent medical care in Singapore, he wished to support financially needy Medical and Nursing undergraduate students at NUS for the course of their study.
His hope? To nurture the next generation of medical professionals.
Though Mr Fok passed away in 2009, the Bursary continues to be disbursed to NUS medical and nursing undergraduates today, through the support of his close friend, Mr Edmund Lee Kit Ming. 17 years since Mr Fok’s first gift, several bursary recipients have gone on to become esteemed names in the medical profession.
In honour of Mr Fok’s generous gift, here are three stories from bursary recipients whose lives were changed for the better.
A Gift for Generations: Dr Tay Jun Yang
For Dr Tay Jun Yang (MBBS ’13), the Fok Chu On Family Bursary was a much-needed gift towards his pursuit of medical studies. Freeing him from worrying about affording his tuition fees, Dr Tay was able to enjoy his education to the fullest, participating in school activities and excelling academically.
Dr Tay (extreme right) as the main coordinator of an international panel meeting under the National Tuberculosis Programme.
Dr Tay has since gone on to make his own impact in the medical field. He is currently a Consultant in Infectious Diseases at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and heads the National Tuberculosis Screening Centre. He plays an active role in the training of junior doctors and serves as a core clinical faculty member in both the internal medicine residency and infectious diseases senior residency programmes.
The Bursary’s impact has thus rippled far beyond its initial gift to one young student. Through Dr Tay, it continues to extend towards a whole new generation of medical professionals who will go on to improve our society for years to come.
Found Family: Dr Kew Guan Sen
The road to Dr Kew Guan Sen’s (MBBS ’14) medical education journey was fraught with financial worry – since the passing of both his parents, his elder sister had been the family’s sole breadwinner, placing the burden of his brother’s and his education on her.
Upon receiving the email that he had been awarded the Fok Chu On Family Bursary, he “heaved a sigh of relief”. He had been blaming himself for creating unnecessary stress for his family; the Bursary came as a source of immense comfort amidst their difficult situation.
The support from the Bursary did not just alleviate Dr Kew’s family worries – it enabled him to gain a wonderful new family. NUS Medicine was where he met and fell in love with his wife, and today they have a four-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter.
Dr Kew is now a Consultant in Gastroenterology & Hepatology at the new Woodlands Health Campus, and is committed to advancing the care of patients with chronic liver diseases. He remains ever grateful for the financial support from the Bursary, and hopes to continue making an impact in the lives of his patients.
Rising the Ranks: Dr Melvin Seng
Success might be a word almost too small for the achievements of Dr Melvin Seng (MBBS ’12). The Occupational Medicine specialist is an Assistant Professor (Adjunct) at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Programme Director of the Graduate Diploma in Occupational Medicine in NUS, as well as an Occupational Health Physician in the private sector. In 2022, Dr Seng had the honour of being the Organising Chairman for the 16th Public Health and Occupational Medicine Conference, a scientific conference attended by distinguished healthcare leaders, clinicians, researchers and policymakers.
Melvin as organising chairman for the 16th Public Health and Occupational Medicine conference in 2022.
Amidst all his credentials and achievements, Dr Seng has never forgotten his donors. Expressing his continued gratitude for the Fok Chu On Family Bursary he received in 2007, he said, “I owe my success to the late Mr Fok Chu On and Mr Edmund Lee, who supported me financially throughout my education years at NUS.”
Dr Seng’s story is testament to how the impact of a Bursary does not just stop at supporting an undergraduate education; beyond this, it has the power to catalyse an entire career of success.
Impact that Amplifies
From one student to his family, proteges, patients and so many more, the beauty of a gift like the Fok Chu On Family Bursary is that its impact never ends – it only amplifies.
Mr Fok Chu On might not have imagined that these stories would be told today, back when he made his first gift in 2007. But because he saw the possibility, his gift had the power to change lives, creating so many stories of impact that will continue to live on.
