Overwhelmed with grief after father's death, ultramarathoner raises $270k for hospice

For about two years after her father died in 2012, she became a recluse, spending her days off in bed.

Even cleaning the toilet was painful because it reminded her of him.

When she finally worked up the courage to get back on her feet again, she decided to run.

And she ran to raise funds for the charity which helped care for him in the last few months of his life.

On Sept 3, quantity surveyor Dawn Ng, 37, ran in the ultramarathon Craze Ultra, in memory of her late father, Mr Ng Seng Boon, to raise money for the HCA Hospice Care.

He died of lung cancer and had spent the last six months of his life at home, being checked on by staff from the charity.

Ms Ng ran for about 16 hours, completing a 74km route starting and ending at MacRitchie Reservoir - with checkpoints at Mandai Road, Woodlands Waterfront, the Canberra-Sembawang Park connector and Yishun Avenue 6.

Ms Ng, who has a sister, said: "I wanted to do something in memory of my dad, and a symbolic act that (shows) I'm able to move on to become an emotionally stronger person."

When he died, she plunged into grief.

MOURNING

She became guarded and her days off were mostly spent in bed, mourning her father.

Ms Ng said: "I miss him most when I'm home alone because that was where we spent our time together.

"We used to cook Teochew dishes and watch Chinese shows together."

She found solace in running.

"It's the only time I could be alone, reflect on my thoughts and relax.

"I wanted to walk out of this dark period physically, emotionally and mentally stronger.

"Having 16 hours to myself, I focused on what is to come, and not what had passed.

"The longer I ran, the pain lessened."

Ms Ng said she was indebted to HCA Hospice Care because, during his last six months, they sent two staff members - a doctor and a nurse - to her home every two weeks.

She said: "They taught us how to take care of an ailing family member.

"They taught my mother how to clean wounds, regulate oxygen levels, clean the bed and toilet, how to move him from the bed to the wheelchair."

Ms Ng, who is part of Trailblazers100, a group of runners who aim to raise awareness and funds for the hospice, raised $270,000 with the 29 other members.

Now, she is inching closer to being at peace.

Ms Ng said: "The pain and vacuum left behind will be always be there, but I'm in the process of letting go and moving on."

About HCA Hospice

HCA Hospice Care is a charity that provides free home hospice care to patients with life-limiting illness and support for their families.

It has about 800 home patients.

Seventy per cent of the hospice's annual expenditure - about $10 million - is funded by the Ministry of Health, other funding agencies and grants.

The $270,000 raised through the run would allow the workers from HCA Hospice Care to make 1,227 more home visits.

To contribute to HCA Hospice Care, you can call 6251-2561, e-mail info@hcahospicecare.org.sg, or visit www.hca.org.sg/hospice/ to make an online donation.

You can also mail them a crossed cheque, made payable to HCA Hospice Care, with your name, NRIC and contact number at the back of the cheque.

The mailing address is HCA Hospice Care, 12, Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308437.

This article was first published on September 13, 2016.
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