For the past 19 years, Sherry has lived with what she calls an “invisible condition”.

The 39-year-old has vasculitis, an auto-immune condition that causes inflammation of her blood vessels and deep, pus-filled ulcers to erupt on her feet whenever it flares up.

In 2016, she left her job as a learning specialist for children with special needs because long hours of standing or walking often triggered her symptoms. The disease has no cure.

But living with vasculitis and working in the social service sector made Sherry more sensitive to the difficulties that many in society face.

Be Kind SG, a ground-up volunteer group she founded in 2017, aims to remedy these struggles and bring them into the light.

Among its regular beneficiaries are homes for adults with intellectual disabilities, where volunteers used to conduct workshops and organise events prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

They have recently switched to Zoom sessions, in which they play games and sing songs to keep residents entertained.

This year, volunteers took part in more than 10 coronavirus-related projects.

Working with the South Central Community Family Service Centre, she also took part in Project Masak Masak, creating 220 craft and activity kits for children from low-income families.

The kits, which comprise simple and nostalgic games such as pick-up sticks as well as snakes and ladders, and card games Snap and Old Maid, were designed to give parents a chance to bond with their children.

Read more here.

 

Source: The Straits Times, 2 August 2020