What kind of legacy do you want to create?
For Miss Wong Chooi Fong, the answer came after a long and difficult chapter. Her mother suffered a stroke that left her bedridden for eight years—a painful journey of physical decline, emotional strain and a growing sense of helplessness. After her mother passed, Miss Wong was determined to find a way to make a difference. Not just in her memory, but for the countless stroke patients and caregivers facing similar struggles.
The journey wasn’t straightforward. Miss Wong first approached a doctor at a major hospital, but his response was dismissive. It was only after a chance invitation to a legacy giving event by NUS that she finally found someone who listened: a professor doing meaningful research in stroke recovery.
Miss Wong Chooi Fong and her furry friend.
Through the NUS Gift Annuity Programme, she made a commitment to support medical research into better treatment and care for stroke patients. “Being able to help stroke patients on a daily basis is ideal,” said Miss Wong.
The Gift Annuity Programme offers donors a unique combination of impact and financial security. The structure is simple: donors make a one-time contribution and receive fixed annual payouts for life. Upon their passing, the payouts cease and the gift goes towards a cause they care about. For some, it’s a way to turn their savings into purpose or about creating a legacy. For others, like Miss Wong, it’s about finding meaning after loss.
Philanthropy Born Out Of Passion
While Miss Wong’s gift was driven by a personal desire to help others in similar circumstances, Miss Vivien Goh’s gift stems from a lifelong belief in the power of the arts. A trained violinist, Miss Goh received a full scholarship to study at the Eastman School of Music in the United States, an opportunity that gave her direct access to some of the leading figures in contemporary classical music. The exposure to high-level performance, composition and teaching practices shaped her artistic approach. When she returned to Singapore, she applied that knowledge in the classroom, on stage and in the community, most notably as the founding conductor of the Singapore Youth Orchestra.
Miss Goh laid the foundations for what would become a thriving classical music scene in Singapore. Many of her former students now perform in the Singapore Symphony Orchestra or mentor the next generation of musicians in schools and community ensembles.
Miss Vivien Goh is making a lasting impact through her legacy gift to the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.
Amid these impressive achievements, Miss Goh wanted to carry her impact even further. That’s why she also decided to make a legacy gift through the NUS Gift Annuity programme, believing in the power of philanthropy to make a difference.
“Funding for arts education is important, as artists are the soul of the nation,” Miss Goh said. “They deserve an environment where they can concentrate on honing their craft without worrying about financing their education.”
Her gift will support special projects at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, from innovative programming and visiting mentors to cross-cultural collaborations that benefit both students and audiences.
Paving the Way for Impact
Legacy giving isn’t about grand gestures. It’s often deeply personal, born out of gratitude, conviction or lived experience. It’s a way to seed long-term change by giving with what you have. At NUS, legacy gifts like Miss Wong’s and Miss Goh’s have funded scholarships, enabled groundbreaking research and brought life to the arts. Each gift is a reminder that thoughtful giving can ripple far beyond a single lifetime.
Ultimately, legacy giving isn’t only about what we leave behind. It’s about what we carry forward. For Miss Wong, it’s the hope that stroke patients may one day recover more fully. For Miss Goh, it’s the chance to nurture Singapore’s music scene and the students who will shape its future.
Whether it’s a named bursary, a bequest or a structured annuity, each legacy gift reflects a simple truth: that ordinary individuals, through thoughtful giving, can help shape an extraordinary future.
Ready to shape your own legacy? Find out more about legacy giving and how you can make a lasting impact here.
