Volunteering at Healthserve’s Clinic in Mandai, Mr Joseph Wong has volunteered under his church’s initiative to helm the medical centre there since the beginning of 2017. As a physiotherapist, he typically treats people who are in pain or have some form of physical disability, usually following an injury, surgery or disease or from degenerative conditions associated with the aging process.

“All of us do this voluntary service for altruistic reasons, to bless the foreign workers with accessible and affordable health care. Getting them physically better and making a difference in their health so that they can continue to work remains the main priority and the reason for helping them.”

A common physical complaint he sees is neck and back strain, and getting the person to understand the mechanics behind it often goes a long way – prevention is better than cure. He seeks to advise on self management and allay their fears with regards to their condition. 

An interesting trait he has noticed among our migrant brothers is that they are generally quite health conscious and want a clean bill of health, as their ability to earn an income will depend on this. Taking on laborious jobs, our migrant brothers sacrificed a lot to be away from their families to come here to eke out a living. That, to him, makes them stand out and win his respect.

He has enjoyed every moment of his experience and it has been very rewarding helping these foreign workers as they are generally appreciative though they may not necessarily express it.