http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,200531,00.html?
CANCER PATIENT LIVES UNDER NICOLL HIGHWAY
One wrong turn in sleep & she could GO UNDER
May 01, 2009
UNWELL & UNSAFE: Miss Goh at her sleeping spot - which is just about 60cm wide - under the Nicoll Highway, next to the KallangRiver. She is left weak and also lost her hair from from undergoing chemotherapy. TNP PICTURE: MOHD ISHAK
SHE suffers from breast cancer, yet she braves the elements every night living out in the open, rather than have a proper roof over her head.
Home for her and two men, Mr Kamsani, 58, and another man in his 50s, is a two-metre-wide concrete pavement under a bridge on the Nicoll Highway along the Kallang River.
Miss Goh Jade Choo, 34, makes her bed on the pavement's extension next to the river, which is just about 60cm wide. So do the men.
If she were to roll over while sleeping, she could fall off the extension into the river, though this has not happened before.
Miss Goh could move into the relative comfort of a welfare home, where she could get better care.
But she and her companions prefer to live like this by choice, because they value their independence.
They work as cleaners and feel they are self-sufficient, without having to ask for help from anyone, social services included.
Growing weak
When The New Paper visited them on Tuesday afternoon, Miss Goh was wearing a beanie to cover her bald head.
She is also mute and can communicate only with hand gestures, accompanied by some sounds.
Mr Kamsani, her 'neighbour' of almost six years, helped to interpret what she said.
He said that Miss Goh had been receiving treatment at Changi General Hospital. But it could not be independently confirmed.
Mr Kamsani told The New Paper that he has been living there because of family problems. He didn't elaborate.
He also said that she used to have hip-long hair. But she lost it after undergoing about four rounds of chemotherapy.
Mr Kamsani said that she started feeling sharp pains in her chest this January. He took her to a polyclinic in Aljunied and eventually Changi General Hospital.
It was then that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. However, it is not known which stage her cancer is at.
Ever since her operation and chemotherapy sessions, she's slowed down and now spends most of her day sleeping.
Her next chemotherapy is scheduled for today.
Mr Kamsani said: 'Earlier, she still had strength, but now she's weak.'
For the past six years, Miss Goh has been working as a toilet cleaner at this section of the Kallang River, where there are kayaking and boating activities.
Mr Kamsani said she looked forward to having her meals with him, mostly bought from nearby food centres.
She works just two hours a day and earns about $200 a month from a cleaning company.
She also gets some financial help from her brother, who visits her once in a while, and the occasional well-wisher.
So how does she pay for all her medical treatments?
Mr Kamsani said that a social welfare service under the hospital helps to pay her bills. But he was unable to tell us the name of the organisation or how much it subsidises her bills. His claim could not be verified independently.
According to Mr Kamsani, Miss Goh's parents are dead. She has four sisters and a brother, but only her brother visits her occasionally.
So why doesn't she move in with her siblings? Mr Kamsani would only say that she is hot-tempered and has low IQ.
When asked her to write her name, she gave a shy smile before shaking her head, as though indicating that she did not know how to. We confirmed her name from her IC which she showed to us.
She also gets support from her colleagues.
One of them, Mr Rahim Abdul, 35, has known her for the past one year. He does not live there but knows the trio well.
Mr Rahim says he works for the National Environment Agency.
He provides some protection to their 'turf'.
He said: 'If she doesn't like other people, we will tell them to leave.'
He was referring to other people, especially foreigners, who had in the past tried to sleep under the bridge as well.
He said the place they sleep is hardly comfortable.
Mr Rahim said: 'I've tried sleeping here. There are mosquitoes and a lot of insects.
'I don't know how she survives. It's very cold here.'
He said that they try to help her whenever they can, such as by giving her money. Mr Kamsani also buys meals for her regularly.
So why isn't she living in a welfare home?
Mr Kamsani said that she did not want to abide by the curfew of the homes.
But Mr Ravi Philemon, centre manager of New Hope Community Services, told The New Paper that not all shelters have curfews.
He said: 'In our shelter, we just have a rule that if clients were to stay away for more than two days, they have to keep the staff informed.'
Not unique
Mr Philemon said Miss Goh's situation was not unique in that 'a number of people are homeless by choice, because how they view life is different from the average Singaporean'.
So what kind of help is available for someone like Miss Goh, who refuses to live in a home?
Mr Gilbert Fan, a social worker who's also the president of the Association of Social Workers, said that most homeless people who are sick would be willing to be placed in hospices.
He said that if Miss Goh didn't want help, the volunteers could only monitor the situation and may visit her more often.
He added: 'Volunteers must be trained and willing to do this work.'
But he added that if (the homeless and sick people's) condition was dire, volunteers would try to convince them to live in a home.
Mr Fan said: 'Rapport must be built. Trust is very important so that they know we are genuine about helping them. We will only convince them when it is appropriate. It is about respecting the person's choice.'
Under the Destitute Persons Act, any public officer acting under the direction of the Director of Social Welfare or a police officer may take in his charge destitutes and send them to the custody of the director.
Joanna Hor Peixin, newsroom intern
CANCER PATIENT LIVES UNDER NICOLL HIGHWAY
One wrong turn in sleep & she could GO UNDER
May 01, 2009
UNWELL & UNSAFE: Miss Goh at her sleeping spot - which is just about 60cm wide - under the Nicoll Highway, next to the KallangRiver. She is left weak and also lost her hair from from undergoing chemotherapy. TNP PICTURE: MOHD ISHAK
SHE suffers from breast cancer, yet she braves the elements every night living out in the open, rather than have a proper roof over her head.
Home for her and two men, Mr Kamsani, 58, and another man in his 50s, is a two-metre-wide concrete pavement under a bridge on the Nicoll Highway along the Kallang River.
Miss Goh Jade Choo, 34, makes her bed on the pavement's extension next to the river, which is just about 60cm wide. So do the men.
If she were to roll over while sleeping, she could fall off the extension into the river, though this has not happened before.
Miss Goh could move into the relative comfort of a welfare home, where she could get better care.
But she and her companions prefer to live like this by choice, because they value their independence.
They work as cleaners and feel they are self-sufficient, without having to ask for help from anyone, social services included.
Growing weak
When The New Paper visited them on Tuesday afternoon, Miss Goh was wearing a beanie to cover her bald head.
She is also mute and can communicate only with hand gestures, accompanied by some sounds.
Mr Kamsani, her 'neighbour' of almost six years, helped to interpret what she said.
He said that Miss Goh had been receiving treatment at Changi General Hospital. But it could not be independently confirmed.
Mr Kamsani told The New Paper that he has been living there because of family problems. He didn't elaborate.
He also said that she used to have hip-long hair. But she lost it after undergoing about four rounds of chemotherapy.
Mr Kamsani said that she started feeling sharp pains in her chest this January. He took her to a polyclinic in Aljunied and eventually Changi General Hospital.
It was then that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. However, it is not known which stage her cancer is at.
Ever since her operation and chemotherapy sessions, she's slowed down and now spends most of her day sleeping.
Her next chemotherapy is scheduled for today.
Mr Kamsani said: 'Earlier, she still had strength, but now she's weak.'
For the past six years, Miss Goh has been working as a toilet cleaner at this section of the Kallang River, where there are kayaking and boating activities.
Mr Kamsani said she looked forward to having her meals with him, mostly bought from nearby food centres.
She works just two hours a day and earns about $200 a month from a cleaning company.
She also gets some financial help from her brother, who visits her once in a while, and the occasional well-wisher.
So how does she pay for all her medical treatments?
Mr Kamsani said that a social welfare service under the hospital helps to pay her bills. But he was unable to tell us the name of the organisation or how much it subsidises her bills. His claim could not be verified independently.
According to Mr Kamsani, Miss Goh's parents are dead. She has four sisters and a brother, but only her brother visits her occasionally.
So why doesn't she move in with her siblings? Mr Kamsani would only say that she is hot-tempered and has low IQ.
When asked her to write her name, she gave a shy smile before shaking her head, as though indicating that she did not know how to. We confirmed her name from her IC which she showed to us.
She also gets support from her colleagues.
One of them, Mr Rahim Abdul, 35, has known her for the past one year. He does not live there but knows the trio well.
Mr Rahim says he works for the National Environment Agency.
He provides some protection to their 'turf'.
He said: 'If she doesn't like other people, we will tell them to leave.'
He was referring to other people, especially foreigners, who had in the past tried to sleep under the bridge as well.
He said the place they sleep is hardly comfortable.
Mr Rahim said: 'I've tried sleeping here. There are mosquitoes and a lot of insects.
'I don't know how she survives. It's very cold here.'
He said that they try to help her whenever they can, such as by giving her money. Mr Kamsani also buys meals for her regularly.
So why isn't she living in a welfare home?
Mr Kamsani said that she did not want to abide by the curfew of the homes.
But Mr Ravi Philemon, centre manager of New Hope Community Services, told The New Paper that not all shelters have curfews.
He said: 'In our shelter, we just have a rule that if clients were to stay away for more than two days, they have to keep the staff informed.'
Not unique
Mr Philemon said Miss Goh's situation was not unique in that 'a number of people are homeless by choice, because how they view life is different from the average Singaporean'.
So what kind of help is available for someone like Miss Goh, who refuses to live in a home?
Mr Gilbert Fan, a social worker who's also the president of the Association of Social Workers, said that most homeless people who are sick would be willing to be placed in hospices.
He said that if Miss Goh didn't want help, the volunteers could only monitor the situation and may visit her more often.
He added: 'Volunteers must be trained and willing to do this work.'
But he added that if (the homeless and sick people's) condition was dire, volunteers would try to convince them to live in a home.
Mr Fan said: 'Rapport must be built. Trust is very important so that they know we are genuine about helping them. We will only convince them when it is appropriate. It is about respecting the person's choice.'
Under the Destitute Persons Act, any public officer acting under the direction of the Director of Social Welfare or a police officer may take in his charge destitutes and send them to the custody of the director.
Joanna Hor Peixin, newsroom intern
