Sole Breadwinner Suffers from Stroke; Grab Kakis, Community Leaders & MSF Come Together to Help Family

By
Rachel Leong
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Even though we are in the throes of a global pandemic, there are little moments in life that remind us that things aren’t always bleak and restore our faith in humanity.

If anyone has had family members fallen ill before, you’d know that it’s an undoubtedly tough situation for their loved ones. That’s what happened to this family, but thankfully, they’ve received overwhelming support.

What Happened

In the wee hours of the morning on 20 May, 45-year-old Sham Laser suffered a stroke.

Mr Sham had been a Grab driver and GrabFood delivery man for five years. On that fateful day, he had just returned to his home in Yishun at 3:00am after a tiring 12-hour shift.

His wife, 40-year-old Nor Fadzilah, who is a housewife, had been waiting for him to return home for work as she had usually tried to do.

Mdm Fadzilah noted that her husband had seemed even more tired than usual, but did not pay much heed to it. He ended up sleeping the whole day, and when asked if he was okay, Mdm Fadzilah told The New Paper that “he couldn’t really answer properly at first but then said he was tired.” She didn’t think that it was any cause of concern.

But she soon realised that she was wrong. By the next morning, Mr Sham had trouble standing up by himself and kept falling sideways.

“That was when I realised something was really wrong,” said Mdm Fadzilah, who had anxiously called an ambulance.

Mr Sham was conveyed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), and it was discovered that he had suffered a stroke.

He fell into a coma on the same day, and the doctors said that his stroke was due to the presence of a blood clot on the left side o his brain.

“I remember the shock, it was as though my whole world had fallen apart,” said Mdm Fadzilah.

Mr Sham managed to emerge from his coma on 31 May, but remains in critical condition at KTPH.

Outpouring of Support

Mdm Fadzilah did not know where to turn for help at the start, especially when it came to her husband’s hefty medical bills. Mr Sham has to be kept under observation, so it is unknown how long he has to remain hospitalised. The total bill however, is estimated to be about S$18,000.

The couple has three children, aged seven, nine, and 11. Mr Sham was the sole breadwinner of the family.

But word got around, and Mr Sham’s Grab colleagues and the community extended a helping hand.

Mr Sham’s fellow Grab drivers helped to organise a campaign on Give.asia that lasted from 26 to 28 May. By then, they had managed to raise the target amount of S$20,000.

The family’s plight had also reached the ears of the higher-ups.

Derrick Goh, Member of Parliament (MP) for Nee Soon GRC, along with other grassroots leaders at Nee Soon Link Division, arranged for food aid vouchers for the family. They also provided financial support via the North West Emergency Relief Fund.

The family, who resides in a rental flat, is also receiving support from the Utilities Assistance Scheme.

Mr Goh commented, “Beyond the immediate help that we have extended to Madam Fadzilah, we will be there to support the family in the long-term. For instance, we will assist her with job opportunities as she has expressed the desire to work, further down the road.

“It is heartening not just to see how optimistic Madam Fadzilah has been during this challenging time, but I am also touched by Mr Sham’s Grab kakis along with Singaporeans from all walks of life who have reached out to help the family financially.

“Our community truly has a heart for those in need.”

The family’s struggle has even gone to reach the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF); in response to queries from The New Paper, a spokesman from the MSF revealed that the ministry was aware of the family’s situation.

He also said that Mr Sham is receiving support for his medical expenses while his children are receiving help for their school fees. The family is also receiving aid from various community organisations.

“Our Social Service Office has been in touch with the family, offering support and working with our community partners to ensure Mr Sham and his family’s medical and basic needs are met. We are facilitating their application for ComCare assistance,” said the spokesman.

“A Loving Father & Hardworking Man”

35-year-old Muhammad Syahid is a security guard who has known Mr Sham for more than four years. He was also a Grab driver until January this year, and was one of many of promoted the fundraising campaign on social media and various chat groups.

Mr Syahid expressed his gratefulness to everyone who donated, saying, “Sham has always been there for me so now I just want to help him in whatever way I can. He is a loving father and a hardworking man. All of us Grab kakis just want him to be okay.”

Mdm Fadzilah said, “My children and I cannot thank everyone enough for all the help. I will never, ever forget this.”

She visits her husband every day, and has revealed that the swelling in his brain has become worse over the past week.

“He can’t talk and can’t move the right side of his body. He can only nod slowly when I speak to him,” she recalled.

His three children cannot visit him in the hospital due to COVID-19 safety regulations, but they inquire after him every day.

“Every day without fail, they will ask how daddy is and when daddy can come back home. It breaks my heart because I know how much they miss him,” Mdm Fadzilah said.

Mr Sham turned 45 on 1 June, and Mdm Fadzilah wrote a message to him in a card that she read aloud to him. She wished him a happy birthday, and expressed how much their family missed him.

Additionally, she made a birthday wish on his behalf. “I pray and hope we can celebrate my husband’s birthday next year happily, as one big family,” she said.

Featured Image: Facebook (Derrick Goh Soon Hee) ; Youtube (Giveasia Kindness)

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Rachel Leong
Email: [email protected]