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Novel twist brings $250,000 to NUS research programme on ageing and health
A donor who wishes to remain anonymous has given $250,000 to the Department of Psychological Medicine's Gerontology Research Programme (GRP) after reading a novel.
The $250,000 came in two gifts, made in the name of The Buddhist Library and The Buddhist Research Society. The gifts will qualify for the prevailing dollar-for-dollar Singapore Government matching grant.
Said Department Head Prof Kua Ee Heok, who is also one of GRP’s principal investigators: “The anonymous donor was inspired to give after reading a novel I wrote, Listening to Letter from America, which was based on our research on the mental health of Singapore elderly. The novel was about the stories of the Singapore elderly who survived the Second World War.”
He added: “The gifts will help us in our new study on ageing and resilience.”
In the novel, six elderly men and women form a discussion group in the Woodlands daycare centre. Inspired by the BBC radio programme Letter from America, the group members go on radio to share their World War II experiences, thus beginning their process of psychological healing and restoration of self-esteem.
The GRP is a multi-disciplinary programme of research activities on the health of the elderly population in Singapore. It aims to enhance the understanding of population aging transition, as well as to provide the scientific information needed for formulating strategies of disease prevention and health promotion. |
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