When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Two SITizens from the Class of 2024 pressed on despite health issues and personal grief to get to the finish line.

When Huang Tongxuan chose to study Physiotherapy at SIT after completing her A-Levels,  it was because she wanted to be close to her family. She didn't know at the time that their support would prove crucial for what would be one of the most difficult periods in her life.  

While Physiotherapy graduate Huang Tongxuan (left) battled the storm of sickness, it was her mother who was by her side as a pillar of strength to give hope and support. (SIT photo: Keng Photography) 

Tongxuan began experiencing ‘extreme exhaustion’ in mid-2023, but thought it was probably due to the rigour of her clinical placements. The then 22-year-old Physiotherapy student was in the midst of completing the compulsory 1,000 hours of clinical practice education (CPE) across various clinical settings as part of her curriculum. 

No amount of extra rest seemed to help. A short 15-minute walk to the bus stop would give her heart palpitations and leave her breathless, highly unusual for an active and fit dancer who could run for an hour with relative ease. So, when medication from her GP did not ease her symptoms, she checked herself into a hospital A&E ward in early September last year.

What she thought would be a short stay for suspected dengue fever ended up being 5 weeks long. To her shock, Tongxuan was diagnosed with leukaemia and had to undergo chemotherapy.

“I cried when the doctor broke the shattering news to me. I was thinking about my fourth clinical placement, which I’d been working on. I was like, ‘I spent all that time trying to complete it.’ Thankfully, I was only in my first week of my CPE and was able to defer it,” recalled Tongxuan. 

There was no time for self-pity - Tongxuan was strong enough to put her emotions aside and stay positive. In the subsequent 5 months, she went through 5 cycles of chemotherapy all in the hope that she would pull through and complete the requirements of her Physiotherapy degree programme jointly offered by SIT and Trinity College Dublin.

Postpone Graduation or Battle On?

Fortunately, her battle with cancer went well, and Tongxuan was discharged from treatment in January 2024. However, she met another hurdle. In addition to clinical placements, she had one more trimester in SIT to complete. Returning to campus could pose health risks to her weak immune system, but skipping the trimester would delay graduation to the following year.

Tongxuan discussed this matter with her oncologist, who said she could return to campus as long as she avoided unnecessary contact with others, wore her mask throughout the day and ate a strict diet. With the support of her mother, who drove Tongxuan back and forth campus, and with the moral support of her friends, classmates and professors, Tongxuan successfully completed the last trimester with her cohort.

While her peers went on graduation trips, Tongxuan stayed to complete her clinical placements. Interacting with patients with chronic illnesses was surreal and meaningful as Tongxuan had previously been a patient herself. She could relate to their struggles and give them hope and encouragement, just like how the healthcare staff in the hospital had assisted her during the tough ride.

Tongxuan (left) resumed her clinical placement at Tampines Polyclinic in the first half of 2024. She was pictured with her clinical supervisor, Marcus Chong (right). (Photo: Huang Tongxuan)

The Physiotherapy graduate plans to work in a hospital setting. “Looking back, I’d say: During chemotherapy, while I was fortunate enough to have strong family support, I believe I was very blessed to have the strong support of my friends as well. Friends are invaluable pillars that you can lean on in times of need, providing support and comfort.”

Being Away from Loved Ones

Loneliness is something Chantelle Hung Ching Wan has had to grapple with since her teenage years. The Computer Engineering graduate moved alone from Hong Kong when she was 17 to study in Singapore, despite not having any family or friends here.

After earning a Business Information Technology diploma from Singapore Polytechnic, she switched fields to Computer Engineering to pursue her interest in technology and, more specifically, its applications in the transportation industry.

Chantelle faced a steep learning curve and struggled with the foundational concepts taught in the first trimester of the Computer Engineering degree programme offered by SIT. She created a revision schedule to rewatch lectures and sought the help of her classmates and professors in her studies.

Yet whenever Chantelle felt like giving up, her mother’s advice to persevere and give it her all would ring in her head. “She taught me that it’s okay to suffer a little now so I can enjoy in the future,” she said.

By the second trimester, Chantelle felt more caught up with her classmates, most of whom had engineering backgrounds. However, her biggest challenge being away from home was losing her loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chantelle grew up in a close-knit family. In 2020, her great-grandmother passed away suddenly, leaving her family in shock.

Chantelle’s aunt (left) and mother (right) from Hong Kong attended the SIT Convocation Ceremony held at the Theatre at Mediacorp on Oct 17. (SIT photo: Keng Photography) 

Then, in 2021, she flew back to Hong Kong to visit her grandmother, who had been diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a fatal motor neuron disease. During her 21-day quarantine in a hotel in Hong Kong, she received news that her grandmother had passed away. It was an extremely bitter experience as she was so close to reuniting with her grandmother, who had taken care of her when she was young.

Grief struck again in 2023 when Chantelle received news that her grandfather had passed away after fighting cancer for several years. “Losing three close family members consecutively was emotionally overwhelming. There was a period when I didn’t attend classes for a few days because I was so sad,” shared Chantelle. 

Eyes on the Eventual Goal

Despite being devastated and missing her loved ones deeply, Chantelle persevered in her studies and gave it her best shot as a tribute to her grandparents. She had a fulfilling 8-month Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) stint at SMRT, where she was involved in projects that helped to enhance train operations efficiency.

The SITizen-DNA trait of a ‘Thinking Tinkerer’ was evident in her final-year project, where she designed iHelmet, a safety helmet for rail maintenance workers. Made with railway maintenance staff in mind, the iHelmet gives real-time location tracking information and health monitoring data to enhance the safety of rail maintenance workers who enter remote tunnels.

The project received positive feedback from industry professionals and is in further development.

From May to December 2023, Chantelle (centre) did her IWSP at SMRT and contributed to train operations efficiency projects and workplace safety. (Photo: Chantelle Hung)

Chantelle, who plans to remain in Singapore to kick start her career, concluded: “If I had one regret about my experience, it is not taking sufficient time to appreciate the journey and enjoy the learning process. Nonetheless, I’m happy with how far I’ve come, and I’m thankful to SIT for the support as I learned more about perseverance in life.”