Sound Bite:
"Clap Your Hands"
English version
Chinese version
This soundbite is a production of
David Communications Group
MDAS is the adopted
charity of
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Oct 2005 (Vol. 1 No. 8)
EXCERPTS:
Editorial
Sports is such a universal and beneficial human activity that no one should be denied the opportunity to join in. As recreation, it offers pleasure and the promise of achievement. As play and competition, it provides excellence practice in social interaction, especially for the young. It improves our health and well-being. People with Muscular Dystrophy will obviously be limited in joining or competing with their peers in sports. However, being excluded in this way should not mean being excluded altogether. The promotion of sports among our members is one of the major programmes of MDAS. We are an active member of the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC), the national organization that brings sports for various disability levels to disabled people in Singapore.
With SDSC's support, MDAS has introduced the game of BOCCIA to its members, run boccia road shows and organized an active boccia team with regular practices. Boccia is a game which even the weakest member can play and able-bodied persons can join in. September 2005 marked a milestone for MDAS with four MDAS members representing Singapore at an international sporting event for the disabled in Kuala Lumpur. Their presence and success at these games should spur every child or adult with Muscular Dystrophy to take up the game or another suitable sporting activity, such as swimming, sailing, horse riding, and lawn bowling. This is the first step towards fulfilling our dream that, one day, MDAS members will be representing Singapore at the Paralympics Games, the Olympics for the disabled.
First Time On Star Cruise Virgo
The long awaited trip on Super Star Virgo as finally here. I was simply ecstatic since the day I knew about the cruise. The sheer size of the ship was awe-inspiring. From a distance, it looked more like a hotel than a ship. After clearing the customs, I finally laid foot onboard the ship. It was so stable that you could not feel it swaying with the tide. Prior to this, I could not imagine that a ship can be so grand. When the lift brought us up to the reception lobby, I realized then that the lobby resembled those of five star hotels.
Shortly after our parents checked into the cabins, we were directed to Bella Vista Restaurant for our dinner. The service was very good with the polite waiters asking about the food and engaging us in small talk. After the splendid dinner, it was show time at The Lido that was almost as grand as an opera theater. The climax of the show was most unbelievable. I was most amazed and dumbstruck when I saw the agile performers contort their bodies into unusual postures, which would be impossible for normal persons without snapping their bodies in half.
Moving out into the deck, we got to breath in fresh air again. The sea breeze was so refreshing with a tinge of saltiness. We could hear the gentle lapping of the waves against hull of the ship. "Wow, we are now out in the open sea," exclaimed. It was a moonless night and the sea was very dark and tranquil. All we can see were lights in the distant land that twinkled like diamonds. "Maybe I shall do some exploration," I thought to myself. As a result, I end up going to the bow of the ship. There was no one there, with only the creepy silence accompanying me. Hearing only the resounding echoes of my own voice, "AHHHH, it is so scary here," I uttered with jitters down my spine.
We had enough fun for the day, and soon it was bedtime for everyone. In the narrow cabin, I had difficulties maneuvering my wheelchair. While I was lying on my bunk, my mind was re-collecting the events of the day, so much so that I had difficulties falling asleep. After what seemed like an eternity, I managed to drift into sleep but with frequent awakenings as I was not used to the bunk.
"So fast it is daybreak already?" I yawned. After taking my breakfast, I went up to deck thirteen. Looking around, I realized that we were surrounded by sea water with no other ships or boat in sight. "Wow, the sight is breath-taking," I shouted. I loved the tranquility of the sea more than anything else in this trip. The most exciting program for the day was the visit to the bridge. We were briefed on the ship's specifications. Curious, I asked the captain why there was a bell in the bridge. He explained that the bell is the soul of a ship, without which sailors would never sail. We had the evening to ourselves without our parents. Checkers experts, Pei Yi and Jia Yong created a record for the longest checkers match. I almost fell asleep while waiting for their moves. After the few hours of freedom, we were back with our parents. Though it is still early in the evening, it was bedtime for me as I was deadbeat from the fun.
The next day while disembarking from the ship, I echoed "I will be back!" imitating Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Terminator. I will not forget the wonderful moments we had in Super Stair Virgo!
By Lim Shin Ming
Boccia & MDAS
Since the introduction of Boccia to Singapore in 2001, MDAS had created many opportunities to introduce the game to its members. In addition to being a regular feature in most of the meetings and events organized by MDAS, Boccia members meet up to train almost every week, spurring each other on to improve and do better. These members tried very hard to excel in this sport, recognizing the opportunity for them to compete internationally, including the Paralympics.
Indeed, MDAS has produced fine athletes. At the Inaugural National Boccia Championship in June 2005, five of our members received medals for their outstanding sporting talent - namely, Kevin Lee, Alex Tay, Oh Boon Keng, Lim Kay Choong and Nurulasyiqah Mohammad Taha. What's more, they also represented Singapore in the 1st Asia and South Pacific Boccia Championship held at Kuala Lumpur in September 2005. Congratulations to our Boccia athletes!
Responding to the success in Boccia, MDAS was awarded the Interest Group Grant by Singapore Disability Sports Council to promote the sports and recruit new players. In July, MDAS with the help of a team of four dedicated volunteers from Hwa Chong Institution jointly organized a Boccia Roadshow at Radin Mas Community Club. This two-day road show succeed in showcasing the existing Boccia players and encouraging more new members to take up the sport.
During an interview with Alex Tay, a MDAS Boccia player-cum-coordinator shared his vision of Boccia - "For more MDAS members to enjoy a game of Boccia as part of leisure time, and for some to challenge their physical and mental limits in playing the competitive game of Boccia."
This vision will not be possible without the support of the public. MDAS needs facilities, equipment and funding to sustain its present efforts. Amongst its wish list are - more sets of Boccia balls, coaches, transport subsidies and more volunteers to help with the running of the game. Appropriate courts are particularly hard to find, as the game requires good-condition flooring together with handicap-friendly facilities e.g. washroom and these courts must be situated near taxi stands or MRT stations for ease of travel.
"No Choice"
I recalled my Mathematics teacher saying that he had once detested one of the topics in Mathematics. Anyway, he soon realized that complaining about it was of no use as he could not avoid having to learn it. From this lesson, he told us two words that kept him going in his studies, "NO CHOICE". These words may sound not at all bombastic, but I found it very inspirational instead. There were the seeds for my article which I hope to share with all.
Those words 'no choice' are very correct; applicable in the past, present and future. We had no choice but to brave the storms that came into our lives. We had no choice but to let nature take its course. These are indeed very true. We have to face any problems head long, and there will not be any solutions if we just keep on nagging and complaining about these frustrations.
In our education, we have abundant stress and difficulties to cope with. Just like my teacher, we may be facing topics and subjects that we are not able to handle well, and so complaining all the time about these irritating studies. My recommendation is to stop, think and change the way we feel about. To stop is to block out these complaints; to think is to see your attitude towards the subject from another point of view, and thus, to change our mindset. Though I myself also feel that it is hard to do so, we really have to consider these stresses and difficulties as something we really have no choice on. We just have to learn it for our own good. What else better than facing them and making the best out of it?
Pondering in depth on this phrase 'no choice', we can easily make references to our lives: the disabled people. We were born physically challenged. As such, we faced a lot difficulties and obstacles in our life and we must learn how to face them. If we are not brave or willing enough to tackle them, we will be swamped with more challenges. The difficulties include being stranded in our homes, not being able to come out and face the society; and living a life of boredom and depression. Hence, we have to be willing to face them! We need to be bold to stand up against all odds! There is no choice escaping disability. We were made this way.
Instead of grumbling and complaining about the problems we meet, why not learn to face them boldly to stand out amongst the rest? With this, I would like to conclude with these two very meaningful words: no choice!
Reflections by Oh Boon Keng
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