At the 2012 London Paralympics, serving as Team Singapore’s chief medical officer, she witnessed anything really moving: After a Paralympic diver finished about two rounds behind the others, the crowd gave a standing ovation, cheering louder than for the win.
” That kind of brought grief to my sight”, recalled Teoh.
The practice ignited her love for para-sports, which she described as focused on maximising what persons have rather than what they lack.
Motivated by this philosophy, she started the PlayBuddy program in 2016 to unlock the potential of babies with physical disabilities. It brings together more than 10 children and their families every Saturday to love activities like karate, sports and ball.
Since its founding, more than 50 people have benefitted from the program, which has grown into a friendly group. ” Their entire world may sometimes revolve just around that child, ( with parents ) taking them to school, … medical appointments, therapy”, said Teoh.
” But when they come together like this, families talk to other relatives who may have gone on a similar journey. … They sort of encourage one another, share tales and don’t think so only”.