14 Apr 2023
SOURCE: CPF Board
When you meet Sutana, her positive energy is immediately felt.
Despite facing post-surgery complications and losing mobility in 2021, this 44-year-old single mother of three teenagers remains remarkably optimistic and generous.
What keeps Sutana going? While encountering difficult situations in life is inevitable, you don’t have to face them alone, with the support from your family, friends and even CPF. Learn how the ability to smile in the face of adversity helped Sutana persevere and live her life to the fullest.
Started with a fall in 2021
With the fall and complications arising from a prior surgery to alleviate pain and pressure on her knees, Sutana experienced severe numbness in her legs and upper body that left her bedridden and unable to carry out her daily activities.
While receiving rehabilitation care at St Luke’s Hospital, she had to undergo two separate surgeries to remove lumps in her stomach caused by steroids used in her treatment. This was a setback in her recovery process.
To add to her problems, her health issues had also impacted her personal life and work - her role as a mother and her job as an administrator at a pre-school centre.
Worrying about her home and finances
When Sutana’s managers learned of her health issues, they were understanding and allowed her to take a year of unpaid leave. The company also offered her a deskbound job to accommodate her mobility restrictions. However, in December 2022 upon consulting her doctor, Sutana made the difficult decision to resign from the company she had been with for a decade.
Without an income and with mounting healthcare expenses (on top of an unsettled mortgage), Sutana was left fretting over her finances. As a single parent, Sutana often worries about how her health will limit her ability to care for her three children and be present in their lives.
As if that was not enough, her neurologist told Sutana that a full recovery was unlikely.
So how did Sutana manage to remain unwaveringly positive?
The answer to this might sound simple, but it’s never that easy and straightforward. For Sutana, it took a combination of factors – support from her family who were her primary caregivers, friends, financial assistance from CPF-administered schemes like CareShield Life and Home Protection Scheme, and an unexpected source – the Korean band BTS. Most importantly, it was her self-determination to live out the best of her current life and future that enabled Sutana to turn her struggle into strength.
It all starts with family
Sutana with her family, from left – Nurin, Fauzan, Tinah and Zafran
Sutana's family has been her pillar of strength during these challenging times. She is grateful for her mother, Tinah, who put everything aside to move in and take care of her needs. Despite initially being reluctant because she had her own health issues to contend with, Tinah knew her daughter needed her. Tinah is not just the main caregiver for Sutana, she also does the household chores and cooks for the family. When asked, she said stoically, “I am just happy to help and take care of the family.”
Nurin, her eldest child who is currently studying in Republic Polytechnic, has also stepped up and taken on a bigger role. The 19-year-old acknowledges that it can be difficult at times, “It is definitely not easy. My younger brothers and I go to school during the day and when we come back, we still have other things to do like homework. So sometimes it’s difficult to find time or energy to take care of our mother, especially when you’re a student”.
Sutana is also thankful for their presence in her life, and how they have become more independent by taking on more family responsibilities. She is determined to be the best parent that she can be given her circumstances as well. To spend more quality time with her children, Sutana has found alternative ways such as baking lasagna together – by preparing ingredients in her room and packing it before delivering it to their family members.
"Meet good people"
Messages from Sutana’s formers colleagues and students
Sutana's former colleagues went above and beyond to provide her with the love and support she needed during her difficult time. They visited her regularly to lift her spirits and kept her company. Her best friend even paid for her son's tuition fees, taking the financial burden off Sutana's shoulders.
Through their unwavering support, Sutana's colleagues had become like a family to her, with bonds that ran deep like sisters, “Meet good people. If you surround yourself with people who have positive vibes, it will be easier for you to fight on”. Their love touched her heart and made her feel grateful for the people in her life.
You never walk alone - with BTS
Sutana with her favourite BTS member, Jin
Sometimes during challenging times, the source of light can also come from the most unexpected places.
For Sutana, it was the Korean supergroup BTS. After being introduced to K-pop by her daughter while hospitalised, Sutana quickly became a fan in her own right. She supports BTS not only for their music, talent, and performance abilities, but also for their authenticity and positive messages that have resonated with fans around the world.
Sutana credited BTS for getting her through her time in hospital. “I was amazed by the group’s energy and iconic dance performances. Being able to interact virtually with BTS also served as a healthy distraction from my problems. Thanks to them, I’m inspired to carry on positively.”
Receiving financial assistance from the Government and CPF-administered schemes
Despite her determination to remain positive, the pressing financial burden weighed heavily on Sutana’s mind. To alleviate the situation, she even contemplated selling her house.
But with the help of a social worker from St Luke’s Hospital, Sutana was able to secure financial assistance from the Dependants’ Protection Scheme (DPS), which has been vital in supporting her family’s needs while she is unable to work. Subsequently, she was able to get further financial aid from the Home Protection Scheme, which enabled her to pay off her mortgage and become the full owner of her home, thereby alleviating one of her greatest concerns.
Sutana was still worried about her family’s daily expenses. She was thus pleasantly surprised to receive a letter from CPF Board (CPFB) inviting her to submit a claim application for CareShield Life. Receiving that invitation was like an additional lifeline for her, as she was unaware that she was insured under the scheme. CareShield Life is a long-term care insurance scheme that offers financial support and lifetime monthly cash benefits if you have severe disability, regardless of existing medical conditions.
Under CareShield Life, Sutana receives $624 per month for as long as her disability conditions remain. She is grateful that CPFB had pro-actively reached out regarding her CareShield Life eligibility. “The money certainly helps. It can cover the things I need daily like groceries, personal care items as well as help with my children’s’ expenses.”
In addition to receiving CareShield Life payouts, Sutana is also receiving $200 per month through the Home Caregiving Grant (HCG).
On the road to recovery - keeping herself busy and planning for the future
An artwork that was done by Sutana and her family during Hari Raya. The letters on the tree bark form the initials of Sutana and her children.
With the full support of her friends and family and the relief of her financial burden thanks to the Government and CPF-administered schemes, Sutana is now able to concentrate wholeheartedly on her recovery.
Sutana is a firm believer of keeping occupied. To pass the time, she immerses herself in the world of literature, with her daughter Nurin often going to the library to borrow books for her to read. Apart from reading, Sutana is also fond of indulging in arts and craft, often involving her loved ones in this creative endeavour. She has even made plans for her future – setting up a business making Achar and writing a children’s book - so keep a lookout!
Despite the harsh reality of never being able to fully recover, she maintains an optimistic outlook and strives to achieve the small targets she set herself. Since her discharge in December 2021, Sutana has been doing physiotherapy diligently every week. Her first goal is to reclaim her autonomy by using the bathroom independently before venturing out of the house.
But that's not where her inspiring story ends. Sutana knows that her problems, however daunting they may appear, may pale in comparison to what others may be going through. During her stay in the hospital, she met and befriended a lady who was injured in the bus collision at Bukit Batok interchange. Despite having her own health issues to contend with, Sutana spared no effort to lift the lady’s spirits and even sent her flowers.
She also made a pact with herself to pay it forward and to donate to charitable causes every Friday, such as to the mosque or relief fund for the recent Turkey and Syria earthquake. Her selflessness and sense of community is a reminder for us to shine bright in spite of any difficulties and extend kindness in any way we can.
Sutana is also mindful of the hardships her family faces when taking care of her, so she always puts on a smile whenever she is with them and is always looking for small ways to give back to the family. She also attended a virtual parenting workshop recently to learn how to best parent in her condition. Nurin is thankful for her mother’s positive attitude,” Even when I’m angry or tired, she still deals with it with calmly and finds ways to help us.”
'Cause we don't need permission to smile'
When asked for her advice to others who may be going through similar experiences, Sutana said, “Life is about being happy. Focus on the positive things and try help others as much as possible. You will find that doing so brings much joy and fulfillment.”
Because when it comes to be having strength in the face of adversity, it’s not just about the support you gain, it’s more important to find the strength within yourself to keep smiling to carry on in life.
Information accurate as of date of publication.
