Empowered to Heal

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Out of profound loss can grow an unwavering resolve to heal. For students like Muhammad Amir Thaqif Shah (Engineering ’22) and Huang Shiying (Science ’20), that resolve put them on the path to medicine to Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS).

Now members of the Duke-NUS Class of 2028, both their journeys have been made possible through the generosity of donors who believed in their calling.

When Thaqif was 12, his four-year-old brother Danish passed away from a rare cancer. The loss plunged his family into grief and financial strain. There were days Thaqif missed school because he had no money for meals.

As an engineering undergraduate at NUS, Thaqif stretched his financial aid to support his family while working part-time. After graduating in 2022, he stepped up as the family’s sole breadwinner. At the same time, he saved diligently, knowing he wanted to take the leap to pursue medicine.

Thaqif chose to become a paediatrician in memory of his younger brother, who received treatment and care from paediatricians during his battle with cancer

Receiving the Duke-NUS Bursary lifted a huge burden off his shoulders. “Without the Bursary, studying medicine would not have been possible,” Thaqif shared. “I wake up every day grateful to chase my dreams of becoming a doctor.”

At the heart of this dream is Thaqif’s desire to become a paediatrician, in memory of Danish. Just as paediatricians had helped his family through Danish’s illness, Thaqif hopes to one day work with children and families to alleviate their pain and be a listening ear amidst their suffering.

For Shiying, the turning point was her grandmother’s stroke during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to visit her in hospital or attend her funeral, Shiying experienced both distance and a painful communication gap with the medical team. That experience cemented her resolve to become a doctor who places humanity at the heart of care.

“I was extremely grateful to receive the Chua Hock Tat and Lee Pui King Bursary,” said Shiying, recounting how the Bursary eased her family’s financial strain after her parents’ business was affected during the pandemic. “It allowed me to pursue my medical degree without constantly worrying about how my family would manage the cost.”

The Chua Hock Tat and Lee Pui King Bursary enabled Shiying to pursue her studies in palliative medicine at Duke-NUS Medical School.

She looks forward to pursuing a career in palliative medicine to provide not only medical expertise for patients, but holistic care and support for their caregivers.

Today, thanks to the generosity of donors, Thaqif and Shiying can pursue these dreams with confidence and purpose. While their stories are still unfolding, the compassion they will one day extend to future patients and their families has already been set in motion.

Your generosity can empower more students for impact. Make a gift to support more Duke-NUS students like Thaqif and Shiying.