(in yellow) and three generations of her KKH-born family (from far left) Primary 2 pupil Callum Tam, seven; Mr Joel Tam, 41, a creative director; JC 1 student Nicole Tan, 17; Secondary 3 student Natalie Tan, 15; Primary 4 pupil Nadine Tan, 10 (the only one not born at KKH); Mrs Melissa Tan, 45, a civil servant; Mr Dennis Tan, 47, an executive vice-president at OCBC Bank; at Bishan Stadium. They joined thousands who were born at KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). She gave birth to her first
child there 45 years ago.
She trained as a midwife at the
hospital a year later and stayed on
long enough to help deliver five of
her grandchildren.
“I was at the bedside of my daughter
and daughter-in-law when they
were in labour and I helped to dry
and wrap their babies,” said the
68-year-old, who is now KKH’s assistant
director of nursing. “I can't
describe the feeling.”
A total of 2,241 people – all born
at KKH – gathered at Bishan Stadium
yesterday morning to break the
Guinness world record for the largest
reunion of people born at the
same hospital.
Aged between seven and 84, they
had to produce their NRIC as well
as their birth certificate.
The feat almost doubled the previous
record of 1,221, set by The Medical
City, a hospital in the Philippines,
in April last year.
KKH previously held another
world record for 10 years – for being
the largest maternity hospital,
with a record 39,835 babies born in
1966.
Some of those “babies” turned up
yesterday to celebrate the 50th anniversary
of the record with a
cake-cutting ceremony.
“We are very heartened and humbled
by the strong show of support
from those born in KKH,” said Associate
Professor Tan Heng Hao, deputy
chairman at KKH’s division of
obstetrics and gynaecology.
“The encouraging response... is a
true testament to their appreciation
for the holistic medical care
and compassion that we provide to
our patients every day.”
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee
Hean and Senior Minister of State
Josephine Teo attended the event,
which included a community carnival,
where families played games
such as giant Jenga and target frisbee.
Ms Wee, who worked in the old
KKH building when she first joined
in 1972, said the hospital has progressed
much in terms of technology and
research.
“Now, the women have more options
to ease the pain of delivery. In
my time, it was backbreaking as we
could only have injections,” she
said. Her grandson, Callum, seven,
who was born there, said: “It was
like a hotel when I was warded for
bronchitis. It is a special place.”
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