Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims
Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad, Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh flagging-off a walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta on June 28. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims
SINGAPORE - Residents in Marsiling-Yew Tee, those in particular from the Malay/Muslim community, can look forward to more mental health support in the coming months.
Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said on June 28 that the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team has been engaging residents since the start of 2025 with mental health sharing sessions and information about dementia awareness.
More than 80 people have been engaged so far, through a partnership with An-Nur Mosque.
Speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines at the annual Hijrah Walk and Health Fiesta event, Mr Zaqy said the initiative is in its early days, but has plans to expand.
He said he has gotten feedback, especially from the Malay/Muslim community in Marsiling-Yew Tee, that they cannot find enough support for caregivers of those with mental illnesses or dementia.
The June 28 event, held in conjunction with the Islamic New Year, was held at Choa Chu Kang Stadium and attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Zaqy, Ms Hany Soh and Mr Alex Yam. All are MPs for the GRC.
The event was organised by the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team. M³ is a collaborative effort between three key Malay/Muslim institutions - the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Mendaki and Mesra.
More than 700 residents from Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC came together to show their support for mental wellness through a mass walk.
Residents visited interactive booths and activity stations by community partners like the Singapore Cancer Society, Caregivers Alliance, and Health Promotion Board which featured information on mental health support services, wellness resources, and active lifestyle initiatives.
Said Mr Zaqy: 'It's important from a community perspective to talk about mental wellness. I think there's always been mental illness around us, but it can be seen as a taboo issue and therefore not much of it has been spoken about.'
'But I think that sharing experiences, resources, and support is one way in which we bring the community together and help bring down the barriers to discussing mental illness.'
He added that connecting those in need with help is always challenging.
'For many of them, the reason why they are not well-connected is because they're are busy firefighting at home. Taking care of those struggling with any issue is not easy, so we need to go reach out to them through neighbourhood networks.'
He said the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team plans to also work with youth in the rest of the year.
Among younger people, he said, mental health is less of a taboo topic, thanks to greater exposure in schools and on social media.
PM Lawrence Wong (in pink) interacting with participants after their walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
'We have to translate that and see how they can be ambassadors to do outreach to the rest of the community, and refer friends and family members who may have issues,' he added.
'I think they are more ready to speak about this, and I hope they can help bring family members who might be older onboard.'
Retiree Madam Zulaiha, 63, attended the mass walk on June 28 with her grandson.
'It is not only good exercise and fun to walk with everyone else, but it is for a good cause,' the former canteen cook said.
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims
Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad, Mayor Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh flagging-off a walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta on June 28. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Over 700 Marsiling-Yew Tee residents walk for mental health, amid more initiatives for Malay/Muslims SINGAPORE - Residents in Marsiling-Yew Tee, those in particular from the Malay/Muslim community, can look forward to more mental health support in the coming months. Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said on June 28 that the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team has been engaging residents since the start of 2025 with mental health sharing sessions and information about dementia awareness. More than 80 people have been engaged so far, through a partnership with An-Nur Mosque. Speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines at the annual Hijrah Walk and Health Fiesta event, Mr Zaqy said the initiative is in its early days, but has plans to expand. He said he has gotten feedback, especially from the Malay/Muslim community in Marsiling-Yew Tee, that they cannot find enough support for caregivers of those with mental illnesses or dementia. The June 28 event, held in conjunction with the Islamic New Year, was held at Choa Chu Kang Stadium and attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Zaqy, Ms Hany Soh and Mr Alex Yam. All are MPs for the GRC. The event was organised by the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team. M³ is a collaborative effort between three key Malay/Muslim institutions - the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Mendaki and Mesra. More than 700 residents from Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC came together to show their support for mental wellness through a mass walk. Residents visited interactive booths and activity stations by community partners like the Singapore Cancer Society, Caregivers Alliance, and Health Promotion Board which featured information on mental health support services, wellness resources, and active lifestyle initiatives. Said Mr Zaqy: 'It's important from a community perspective to talk about mental wellness. I think there's always been mental illness around us, but it can be seen as a taboo issue and therefore not much of it has been spoken about.' 'But I think that sharing experiences, resources, and support is one way in which we bring the community together and help bring down the barriers to discussing mental illness.' He added that connecting those in need with help is always challenging. 'For many of them, the reason why they are not well-connected is because they're are busy firefighting at home. Taking care of those struggling with any issue is not easy, so we need to go reach out to them through neighbourhood networks.' He said the M³@Marsiling-Yew Tee team plans to also work with youth in the rest of the year. Among younger people, he said, mental health is less of a taboo topic, thanks to greater exposure in schools and on social media. PM Lawrence Wong (in pink) interacting with participants after their walk during the Hijrah Walk & Health Fiesta. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO 'We have to translate that and see how they can be ambassadors to do outreach to the rest of the community, and refer friends and family members who may have issues,' he added. 'I think they are more ready to speak about this, and I hope they can help bring family members who might be older onboard.' Retiree Madam Zulaiha, 63, attended the mass walk on June 28 with her grandson. 'It is not only good exercise and fun to walk with everyone else, but it is for a good cause,' the former canteen cook said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
AsiaOne
21-06-2025
- AsiaOne
Passenger sues SIA after allergic reaction, claims served meal containing shrimp despite warning crew, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - A New-York based paediatrician is suing Singapore Airlines for allegedly serving her a meal containing shrimp even though she claimed she had notified the cabin crew that she was allergic to shellfish, causing her to suffer a severe allergic reaction. According to a June 17 lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Dr Doreen Benary, 41, had informed a cabin crew member about her allergy after boarding SIA flight SQ026 on Oct 8, 2024. The flight was bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York from Frankfurt, Germany. However, Dr Benary, who was in the Business Class, was allegedly served a meal containing shrimp, which she was unaware of. Upon eating a portion of the food, Dr Benary detected the presence of shrimp and began to feel ill. She then questioned the cabin crew member, who admitted that she had made an error and apologised, according to the court document. Dr Benary subsequently suffered a "severe allergic reaction" and "fell violently ill", which required the aircraft to perform an emergency diversion to Paris, France, where she underwent emergency medical treatment at two separate medical facilities. Dr Benary said via the court document that she had suffered - and will continue to suffer from - great pain, agony and mental anguish, and that she was required to undergo painful, emergency medical treatment. She claims that this also caused her to be "deprived of her enjoyment of life, pursuits and interests", which she believes that in the future, she will continue to be deprived of. Dr Benary is asking SIA to pay her "full, fair and reasonable damages" in an amount to be determined at trial, together with "interest, costs and disbursements of this action". The document does not state if Dr Benary was carrying an EpiPen or other auto-injectors. These products, which are used to treat severe allergic reactions, are filled with epinephrine, a life-saving drug used by people at risk of anaphylaxis and other reactions. [[nid:671039]] Dr Benary's attorney, Mr Abram Bohrer, told The Independent newspaper that he was unable to discuss the lawsuit without her permission. When contacted by The Straits Times for more information, an SIA spokesperson said the airline is "unable to comment on matters before the court". Tropomyosin, present in shrimp, prawns and other crustaceans such as lobster, crab, and crayfish, is a protein involved in muscle contraction. According to a Woodlands Health shellfish allergy brochure, cooking the shellfish does not remove the allergen. Symptoms associated with food allergies can range from mild irritation such as tingling or itching in the mouth, hives and swelling, to more serious ones like wheezing or shortness of breath, nausea, vomitting, loss of consciousness or anaphylaxis, when breathing stops, which could lead to death. This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Straits Times
Muscles, fats and simple blood test can predict menopausal women's health
Madam Sabarina Jumarudin, a participant of the Integrated Women's Health Programme (IWHP) at NUH and the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, with IWHP lead Yong Eu Leong. PHOTO: NUHS SINGAPORE – A simple blood test can predict which woman will have less muscle and will be walking more slowly later in life. It is also practical and cheaper than current methods of measuring muscle, such as the current gold standard magnetic resonance imaging scans or strength tests, which are also more time-consuming. This new insight from a longitudinal cohort study of midlife women in Singapore shone light on how muscle strength, visceral fat and their association with the physical decline after menopause can potentially lead to downstream health impacts among women here. Researchers from the National University Hospital (NUH) and National University of Singapore (NUS) found that women with a lower creatinine-to-cystatin C ratio (CCR) – a marker derived from blood tests – had less muscle and walked more slowly as they age. Creatinine is a by-product of normal muscle function and energy use, and a higher level indicates higher skeletal muscle mass or poor kidney function. Cystatin C is a protein produced by the body's cells that is filtered out by the kidneys. A normal cystatin C level rules out poor kidney function. A low CCR of under 8.16 was associated with a lower muscle volume of 0.350 litres in the thigh, and a slower gait of 0.049 metres per second. This suggested that CCR could be a useful early warning sign for age-related muscle loss, which may lead to falls, frailty and reduced quality of life. The findings were published in Menopause, a monthly peer-reviewed journal, in March 2025. The scientists are from the Integrated Women's Health Programme (IWHP) at NUH and the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. The IWHP was initiated to identify and address the health care needs of midlife Singaporean women. It recruited a cohort of 1,200 Chinese, Malay, and Indian women aged 45 to 69 years between 2014 and 2016 – about 70 per cent of whom were postmenopausal . Their health metrics were then tracked over time. In the first study based on this cohort, published in international journal Maturitas in October 2023, the researchers shared a ranking of menopausal symptoms – with joint and muscular discomfort found to be the most reported symptom among women in Singapore. Called arthralgia, it had moderate or severe impact on a third of the midlife women of the cohort. A subsequent study, published in Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism in October 2024, found that women with both weak muscle strength and high levels of visceral fat – the deep belly fat around the internal organs – had the highest risk of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Their risk was 2.63 times higher than that of women who had normal muscle strength and lower fat levels. Having just one of these conditions also increased risk, though to a lesser degree. The risk from having high visceral fat alone is 1.78 times higher. Among those with weak muscle strength, women with high visceral fat had a 2.84 times higher risk compared to those with low visceral fat. Explaining the impetus for the study, IWHP lead Yong Eu Leong said: 'Muscle... burns up fat. What about those who have weak muscles? Does it affect the risk for diabetes in the future?' The cohort's initial muscle and visceral fat measurements served as a baseline for researchers to track changes over the years. Researchers then analysed how changes in fat and muscle measurements taken about six years later – by then, about 90 per cent of the women were postmenopausal – related to whether women had developed diabetes. Professor Yong, who also heads the division of benign gynaecology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at NUH, noted that a large proportion of women in Singapore are 'skinny fat', where their body mass index is in the normal range, but they have high levels of visceral fat and low muscle mass. ' One way (to know what your risks are) is to measure your walk and the speed at which you walk. If you cannot walk fast and straight, then your health is not so good. We wanted to see if we can develop a test that can predict gait speed. We wanted to look at molecules that actually measure muscle functions,' he said. 'These findings validated our previous (IWHP) research that showed that women should not just focus on weight loss, but on building muscle strength through exercise for diabetes prevention,' Prof Yong said. One participant of the IWHP, administrative assistant Sabarina Jumarudin, is living proof of the findings. The 59-year-old grandmother used to weigh 93kg and suffered from sleep apnoea. Since she underwent the bariatric surgery at NUH in 2018, a procedure that modifies the digestive system to help people with obesity lose weight, she lost more than 30kg. Mindful of keeping her weight down, Madam Sabarina walks to the MRT station every day instead of taking the shuttle service, and takes the stairs instead of the escalator to catch the train. 'On my way home, I usually take a longer route to ensure I clock at least 10,000 steps a day, and practising stretching and breathing exercises to strengthen my core,' she said. 'I realised that small but consistent changes do make a big impact on my health, so I do what I can on a daily basis, and it gives me confidence to not only stay healthy physically and mentally but also stave off diabetes,' she added. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
