Terminally ill find respite in creative pursuits
published by The Sunday Times on May 4, 2025
Extract from article:
WILL I FINISH MY MEMOIR?
Some terminally ill patients do not know if their plans for creative expression will bear fruit.
Cancer sufferer Razia Attaree, an 80-year-old retired family physician, has been thikin gabout writing her memoir for at least 25 years. She has been penning notes every now and again, her memories often prompted by her husband of 52 years, retired consulting engineer Edwin Doctor, 87. The couple have a daughter and grand-daughter.
She even has a title in mind: My 3 Mums, referring to her mother, her mother-in-law and Auntie Eveylyn, a close maternal figure and former neighbour.
Dr Attaree, who was encouraged to write about her life by her daughter, also a doctor, to mark SG60, says: “Now that my life is shortened, I was thinking how I’m going to write this. I feel it would be a loss to my daughter if I didn’t.”
She frets that she does not have enough strength in her weakened fingers, which now tremble, to hold a pen for long.
She and her husband want their family members to know about the milestones in their lives. For example, she was the first female Indian-Muslim doctor to graduate from the University of Singapore in 1969 and he once went on a road trip from London to Pakistan-India border in 1966.
Dr Attaree has accepted that she may not complete her memoirs, although Assisi Hospice in Thomson Road, where she receives physiotherapy, is helping her.
“I’m 80, I’m not a 20-year-old. When I see young people with cancer, I get upset. For me, my life is quite complete. Eighty is a very good age, and I’m still walking around,” she says.
For Ms Haslina Wannor, 45, a daycare patient at Assisi Hospice, receiving freshly printed copies of her 40-page book, which features her paintings and poems, at the end of April was the culmination of two years of hard work.
At the age of 29, she was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis, an uncommon autoimmune disorder that causes skin and connective tissues to harden.
She later developed advanced pulmonary arterial hypertension, which affects the lungs and can lead to serious complications such as heart failure.
She needs oxygen concentrator 24 hours a day.
Her book, Gateway To Fortitude: An Illustrated Journal by Leena Warrior, her moniker on social media, showcases her writing and paintings.
The mother of a 19-year-old daughter frequently paints self-portraits – of herself in prayer or doing housework – tethered to her ever-present oxygen tank. It retails at Assisi Shop on Lazada for $20, with all proceeds going to the hospice, which funded the book.
She is sustained in her hardships by her Muslim faith and her creative pursuits.
She says, “Art soothes me and helps me to come to terms with my condition. I have more acceptance of the hurdles I face. I feel calmer and I can go on with my life better.
“I never expected to create a book. It’s surreal. I’m excited. I still can’t believe it. I still feel shy about my art. I’m truly happy that this came true.”