This week, I found myself reflecting on how much my life has changed since I joined Shalom Medcare, a care transport and medical escort provider in Singapore that was founded in 2021. Working there has become a part of how I advocate for healthcare equality for those who live with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), as I do.
DMD is a genetic condition that causes progressive muscle loss and weakens the body over time. By adulthood, many patients depend on wheelchairs, ventilators, and round-the-clock support to survive. I use a BiPAP ventilator 24/7 and need help with nearly every aspect of daily life. Safe transport isn’t a luxury for someone like me. It’s an essential part of my existence.
I first experienced Shalom Medcare not as a staff member, but as a client. My family and I struggled for years to find an accessible transport provider willing to accommodate my medical and caregiving needs. Shalom Medcare’s team knew me not only as a patient, but also as an advocate at the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Singapore), the Disabled People’s Association, the SingHealth Patient Advocacy Network, K9Assistance, and Rebirth Ensemble, a fine art studio that my visually impaired girlfriend, Amanda, and I cofounded two years ago.
A workplace rooted in care and empathy allows me to pay it forward
Today, I support the company’s branding strategies and marketing efforts, alongside a dedicated team of Generation Z care professionals who work tirelessly every day to serve vulnerable communities in Singapore. The company transports elderly dialysis patients, disabled adults, special needs youths, and family caregivers who need safe, reliable support getting to and from healthcare institutions and medical appointments.
The company has made me feel like part of the family. In my first year, they invited me to join their first team photo shoot. In my second year, they welcomed me as their newly minted brand executive to a charity dinner hosted by the nonprofit National Kidney Foundation. Shalom Medcare had sponsored a table as part of its long-term care partnership with the organization.
Those moments may be small, but to someone living with Duchenne, they carry emotional depth and meaning.
Because of many issues, the past few weeks have been difficult for me, but my team has responded with compassion, flexibility, and patience, and has given me space to work remotely, communicate openly, and continue contributing at a pace my body can manage.
No matter where we are in the world, being a DMD patient of working age often means fighting to secure employment. Once achieved, we typically must prove our worth in workplaces not designed to accommodate our medical and behavioral needs, failing which we’d risk a performance review, non-renewal, or, worse, termination.
Our bodies weren’t made to survive, let alone thrive, in the meritocracy most corporate employees are expected to operate in today or in the 9-to-5 work culture. That, coupled with the psychosocial challenges associated with DMD, makes gainful employment a distant pipe dream for many of us with this condition.
While the COVID-19 pandemic briefly normalized remote work and offered some of us a window of opportunity, these reforms are now being eroded in the name of “returning to the office.” The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence in workplaces worldwide may worsen employment inequality, painting a bleak picture for people like me.
That’s why I regard Shalom Medcare — as well as Bionews, the parent company behind Muscular Dystrophy News Today — as truly inclusive employers, giving me a platform to use my lived experience with Duchenne, advocacy background, and creative skills for good.
More than that, it enables me to continue the legacy my late brother, Isaac, and I began nearly two decades ago by raising funds for the muscular dystrophy community. Today, that mission continues through healthcare advocacy, storytelling, and community care.
I hope to keep paying forward that spirit of acceptance and understanding, one story at a time.
Note: Muscular Dystrophy News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Muscular Dystrophy News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to muscular dystrophy.
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