The Tetraplegia Photo Essay
First published April 30, 2001 in the now-defunct Project Eyeball. (Photos & text by Law Kian Yan)
Lending tetraplegics a helping hand
Charity drive aims to raise $200,000 for those disabled by spinal injuries
Without proper care, tetraplegic can succumb to infections, sores and organ failures. They are also susceptible to falls and fractures.
Eighteen years ago, his doctor gave him five years to live.
Today, Gilbert Tan is a living inspiration to fellow tetraplegics.
“I thought I was going to die,” said Tan, now 39. ”But now, my doctor is dead. And I’m still alive.”
Tan became a tetraplegic in 1983 following a jump into a swimming pool that fractured his neck.
Tetraplegics - also known as quadriplegics - are people weak in, or unable to move, all four limbs, as a result of spinal cord injuries. This leads to a loss of sensation and movement in the arms, legs and trunk, as well as the loss of bladder and bowel functions. But the functional abilities of tetraplegics vary according to the degree of cervival (neck) spinal cord injuries.
After he partially recovered control of his shoulder and biceps, Tan was able to eat on his own again with a specially designed spoon.
Although Tan can do more things than other tetraplegics, he is still very dependent on a maid. He has been unable to perspire since the accident in 1983 and he needs to be sprayed with water every now and then in order to keep his body temperature down.
Tan showing fellow tetraplegic Chee Siong how to paint using the mouth, as adventurer Khoo, a volunteer at the Tetraplegia Workgroup, looks on.
After his accident in 1983, Tan did not give up. He struggled to overcome his disability and adapt new life skills.
Today, thanks to his hard work and patience, Tan is an established mouth painter and an associate member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists. In addition, he has cut four music albums.
So what’s the secret?
Tan attributed it to his resolute will.
“I guess stubbornness also helped,” he laughed.
Add to that a generous dose of optimism.
But not every tetraplegic is as fortunate as Tan.
Without proper care, tetraplegics can succumb to urinary tract infections, pressure sores and organ failures. They are also susceptible to falls and fractures. Many lapse into depression and lose the will to live.
It is with this realisation that Dr Wee Teck Young, together with a group of other doctors and volunteers, set up the Tetraplegia Workgroup in 1999 to meet their medical, social, emotional, intellectual and physical needs.
Through peer support and by helping them to link up with the existing services available, the group aims to help tetraplegics re-integrate into society.
Special equipment, like this automated hoist, helps Chee Siong move around the house with minimal human help.
Physiotherapy is a source of hope and joy for Chee Siong, because that's when he gets to leave the house and meet friends at the Singapore Cheshire Home.
The charity drive, which goes on until May 6, aims to raise $200,000 to subsidise - among other things - transport and medical expenses for the tetraplegics. The drive has so far collected $80,000 and donations are accepted at the Marine Parade Community Development Council.
Inspired by the tetraplegics’ survival instincts, Singapore’s ace adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow had named the Tetraplegia Workgroup as one of the beneficiaries of his Extreme North Charity Mission. Although his recent North Pole expedition had to be called off, the charity drive - which started in March - is still on.
“My wanting to help these people hasn’t changed just because I aborted my North Pole expedition,” said Khoo.
“Their needs haven’t changed. They still need our help.”
During the North Pole expedition, Khoo himself suffered from frostbite-related injuries and blurred vision. He also risked losing parts of his fingers. Yet, he feels his suffering is nothing compared to that of the tetraplegics.
“What I went through was very small compared to what they go through every day. Mine is just an expedition. It was 60 days, and it’s over. For them, they have to face it day in, day out. They are living it.”
The charity drive, which goes on until May 6, aims to raise $200,000 to subsidise - among other things - transport and medical expenses for the tetraplegics.