Meet Amanda Ng — the teenage super‑hero who’s turning her home into a hospital
Picture a 14‑year‑old who drops out of school, swaps her cheerleading squad for a white coat, and races around her parents’ kitchen helping her sister who’s on a ventilator. That’s Amanda Ng in a nutshell.
How a life‑changing moment sent Amanda down a new path
- 2018. Amanda’s little sis Amelia, then 11, has her first scary breathing crisis. “I saw my mum shouting and our helper scrambling to keep her breathing,” Amanda recalls. “We didn’t even know how to do rescue breathing up there. The moment Amelia survived, my brain went into full panic mode.”
- 33 months later. Amelia’s condition hits a low point: she gets intubated at 12 and basically relies on a ventilator 24/7.
- Decision. Amanda’s teenage heart cries out: “If Amelia’s life isn’t going to look like everyone else’s, I can’t just sit there and wait.” She chooses to home‑school so she can be a full‑time caregiver.
Switching from classroom to clinic
At 14, Amanda was the life of the school band, the council darling, and everybody’s favourite social butterfly. Becoming a 24‑hour caregiver was a brutal pivot—no club dances, no cafeteria gossip, just endless suction tubes and a life‑support monitor.
But she pressed on. Eleven school years ago she pulled herself together, fought the stress, and made homeschooling a secret super‑power that let her make bowl‑food, stick‑foam to the bedside, and teach other kiddos online.
A very special award night
This week, Amanda was one of eight unit‑only female recipients of the Singapore Patient Caregiver Award at the Singapore Patient Action Awards, where the whole ceremony took place over Zoom.
The award is all about celebrating strength, resilience, and outstanding devotion for a loved one when the stakes are high.
- Ms Poh Ya Nee, a hospice nurse from HCA, nominated Amanda. “She’s a true champion: tube feeding, suctioning, catheter care, and even life‑saving resuscitation,” she said.
- When Amelia is a teenager, Amanda’s tasks can get overwhelming, but the medals prove she can keep going.
What it means for their future
Last year, the diagnosis came in: Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantileneuroaxonaldystrophy”>In other words, most kids don’t even reach 10 years old.
Amanda’s raw, heartfelt confession: “The hardest part is that I might never get to see her again. I’ll never sit on the couch, tie her shoes, or play a game with her.”
But she keeps the optimism rails straight. “We talk about death,” she says, “so we’re not scared. We chat about she’s going to heaven, and hearts will stay connected.”
Other caregivers who got the headline honor
Besides the teens, the awards squad upps the list with a range of ages and circumstances:
- Four moms in their 80s. One is the fearless 83‑year‑old who’s been caring for her daughter in a wheelchair for 14 years after a university accident. Another, Madam Phat Yock Chan, has tended to her Down syndrome daughter for 46 years, who’s now bed‑bound and battling early‑onset dementia.
- Madam Tahirah Mohamed. She’s been at the caregiving wheel for 15 years, tending to her nine children—including seven with special needs (autism, OCD). Guess what? She juggled it all while overcoming her own depression, thanks to a crack team of friends.
- Madam Tonia Chan Oi Choo. She coped with her autistic 22‑year‑old daughter after two setbacks: a stroke and a rare disorder that rattled her neurons.
- Ms Nadia Daeng: Stepped up as primary caregiver after her mother stared down a stroke and dementia, balancing between burnout and learning to give herself a break.
- Other acknowledgments mentioned: Ms Ratnasari Yawieriin, who cares for her sister, and Madam Doh Tong Kiok, who has taken care of her neighbour for more than a decade.
Why it matters
The Singapore Patient Action Awards have been running since 2015, and the 2024 edition honored 10 individuals plus five groups who positively shook the community. They’re the unsung heroes—dad with a 12‑hour shift, mom who’s been a care ninja for decades, teen stepping into a hospital suite. Their stories remind us that courage doesn’t have a calendar.
Back to Amanda: in university now, she balancestaff—a part‑time mother and a dad full‑time engineer. She keeps her sister in the loop. “When you’re tired, say Jie Jie when you’re ready to go.” She counts each breath as a hug across time. In her own words, “Even when you go to heaven, our hearts will still be connected.” That’s the heart of the award—heartbeat, not just paperwork.
Let’s celebrate these caregivers. Their stories deserve more than headlines—they deserve a standing ovation at home.
