This Christmas, our pharmacists brought work home when they and their kids packed gift boxes for children from needy patient families.

Pharmily is a term coined to describe our beloved family here at the SGH Pharmacy Division 💕
(From left) Shyam, Doris, Yan Ru , Hong Yen and Pearlyn  

Spearheaded by the Pharmacy Division’s Staff Engagement and Wellness (SEW) co-leads - Doris, Pearlyn and Shyam - 30 Christmas boxes were lovingly packed by our Pharmacy colleagues and their families. Each gift box was filled with newly purchased school items, stationery, and food, carefully curated for children aged 6 to 12 years old. 

Personal touches

Each gift box was personalised with a hand-written Christmas card or letter to the recipient child. In a quirky twist, the Pharmacy team prepared "medication dispensing labels" for each box, complete with a bright red warning: "Keep away from naughty children". 

The initiative brought out the creativity in our staff and their families. One heartwarming example comes from Chia Sin and her son Zhang Yew, who participated in the gifting activity. Zhang Yew shared: 

"This Christmas, I joined a gifting activity with my mum Chia Shin. We went shopping for gifts, and it was really cool and meaningful to help others! But the funniest part? My Mum was super picky about how the gifts were arranged in the box - she was obsessed with making them perfect - so I just stood there watching 😋 :P Still, it was a special moment for me!" 

Our other colleagues’ little ones had their own ideas too:  

'My girl wanted to pack a box for another little girl, so all the contents are pink'. 

"My son chose a special (but giant-sized) stationery set during our family trip to Korea. So we had to look for an even larger box to accommodate it!” 

Family bonding and learning

The Pharmily Christmas Gift Box project has not only brought joy to the recipients but also helped our staff and their families to bond. Ai-Ling participated with her husband and 4-year-old son, and shares, "I enjoyed packing useful items into the box, at the same time explaining to our son how this small action can potentially bring much happiness to the child who will receive it." 

When asked what he thought was the most awesome thing in the box, Dr Poh's son exclaimed, "The gummy! Because it's nice and yummy, the children will be happy!" 

The project also enabled staff to involve their families in their work. Justina reflects, "Doing this with my family is a way to share not just what I do, but why it matters."  

Her daughter Raelene adds, "I liked picking things I would want, and thinking about how the kid getting it might smile, even if his/her family member has been hospitalised." 

The Pharmacy team went above and beyond, developing their own educational pamphlet, “Kids, let’s learn about medicines”, on medicine-taking and health matters, as  suitable educational material for children as this topic was not previously available at SGH.  

(Click here to download the educational pamphlet)  

The birth of Pharmily Christmas Gift Box

"Back in August 2024, the Pharmacy division identified 'family-friendly' as an area of focus," Shyam explains. "We had the idea to 'bring the pharmacy home' instead of bringing our families to the workplace,  as it is challenging to bring  kids to our pharmacy dispensaries and labs." The project was born from this concept, with the goal of packing Christmas gift boxes together at home with family members, filling them with health-related items and school supplies to benefit the children of our patients. 

A community effort 

The initiative was met with overwhelming enthusiasm from staff. "This Christmas joy project resonated with everyone!" Shyam beams. "All I heard was ‘yes’ and exclamations of anticipation and excitement. Everyone found this to be a deeply meaningful project." 

Team Building and giving back

The Inpatient Pharmacy Team expressed their gratitude for the bonding experience: "We're so grateful to the team for coming up with such a meaningful activity for our team bonding. Our Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants got involved too. Together, we were able to prepare the gift boxes, each filled with generosity, care, and thoughtful messages for the kids. It was a short, but truly enjoyable and rewarding  experience that brought all our colleagues together." 

Shyam and Elias shared, "It was very meaningful to bring joy to kids, and we had fun selecting each item for the Christmas gift box. The most fun part was trying to squeeze all the goodies into the given box! We wish the family all the very best this Christmas, and in the new year ahead." 

A lasting impact

As we celebrate the success of this project, we're reminded of the power of community and compassion. Shyam reflects on her favourite part of the project. "I loved the energy and collegiality from my Pharmily. Too often we “drug dealers” are caught up detecting and addressing medication-related problems or resolving systems issues, and it really warmed my heart to see my colleagues smiling and giving to others in need."

Our Chief Pharmacist Hong Yen handed over all 30 boxes to MSS HOD designate Cecilia on 25 November,  marking the successful completion of this year's Pharmily Christmas Gift Box initiative.

Smiles in Words

The impact of the Pharmily Christmas Box project was also beautifully reflected in the handwritten thank you notes received from the recipients: 

One patient wrote, "Thank you for the kind gesture by SGH Pharmacy. My daughter will love the presents from you guys…"  

Another patient expressed, "Thank you so much for your gift and your dedication and daily seeing to the needs of the tiniest patient – and my son’s needs also."  

(From left) Pei Yi, Hong Yen, Cecillia, Shyam, Doris, Pearlyn, Yan Ru 

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