Never Too Young to Start: Youth Volunteer Shares His Journey with SCS
The sky was still dark when You En arrived at the National Stadium to volunteer at the Singapore Cancer Society’s 2024 TalkMed Relay For Life. Still bleary-eyed and groggy from waking up at 3AM, he stepped into the stadium—and was immediately blown away by the scene before him.
There were hundreds of people making their way around the track: walking, jogging, and running at different speeds, but all united in their quest to make a stand and show cancer survivors and patients that they do not walk alone.
You En recalls thinking that the event, which required people to work alone or in teams to clock a distance of 100km at the stadium, was “crazy”. “I don’t think I’m physically or mentally strong enough to do that,” he exclaims. “I could barely push myself to wake up and go!”
However, witnessing the determination on the participants’ faces as they persevered through the night quickly dispelled his sleepiness.
“It was one of the greatest shows of community ever,” he enthuses, adding that it
fuelled his desire to contribute. It has also become one of his favourite memories since beginning his volunteer journey with SCS in early 2024.
Committed to Serve
SCS is just one of the organisations that You En volunteers with. The Eunoia Junior College graduate also volunteers with Sport Singapore’s Team Nila and Youth Corps.
“I enjoy talking to people, interacting with them and learning more about them,” he says as way of explanation.
He shares that he found out about SCS after his school partnered with the organisation to run a “mini Relay for Life” on campus. As part of the event, a breast cancer survivor came to share about her journey battling the illness.
“I really respected her for having the courage to come down and share with a bunch of students she had never met before,” You En recounts. Hearing about the struggles she faced and the obstacles she overcame was eye-opening for him, It ultimately inspired him to embark on his volunteering journey with SCS.
Gaining New Insights
Sheepishly, You En admits that before volunteering at SCS he knew very little about cancer.
“I thought it was doom and gloom,” he says, quickly clarifying that he now knows “it’s not true!” For him, the greatest takeaway to date has been the chance to speak with cancer warriors and survivors to understand more about the mental, emotional and even social challenges they face on the road to recovery.
“I think volunteering is a great way for younger people like myself to learn more about the world around us,” he declares, adding that with his GCE “A” Levels out of the way, he hopes to have more time to spend on volunteer activities.
After all, as he has seen firsthand, even the smallest bit of support can go a long way for someone battling with cancer. “I hope that the events [SCS organises] will continue to inspire survivors to keep pushing and continue fighting,” he concludes.