After a hiatus of more than two years, it was a reunion of sorts for the Board of the SMA Charity Fund (SMACF) when they met up at the SMACF Appreciation Dinner hosted by SMA President Dr Tan Yia Swam. This dinner was organised to thank Board members for their valuable contributions over the last two years, in spite of a pandemic which forced us all into the virtual space where we have been meeting.
The dinner was held in a cosy Chinese restaurant at a private club where SMACF Board members were joined by SMA President Dr Tan Yia Swam, SMA Council members and SMACF Secretariat staff.
True to their unwavering spirit and commitment, the Board of SMACF had gathered for the serious business of a Board meeting prior to the dinner; they were apprised of SMACF's financial health, upcoming events, as well as exciting projects planned for the coming months. As is the case at all Board meetings, members of the Board listened attentively to the updates from SMACF Secretariat staff and offered many suggestions and ideas as we continue to keep our beneficiaries foremost in our thoughts and plans.
After the conclusion of the Board meeting, it was time to let our hair down and indeed, the atmosphere felt so welcoming as dinner guests eagerly exchanged pleasantries and stories.
We shared tales of what had been happening in our lives and how the pandemic had shaped and changed the way we manage our work and personal lives. All this took place amid pre-dinner drinks sponsored by SMACF Chairman Dr Chong Yeh Woei and SMA Council Member Dr Wong Chiang Yin, who had stepped down from the SMACF Board earlier in April.
There was simply so much to catch up on that we decided to do away with the usual dinner speeches and instead focused on enjoying each other's company.
Indeed, the coming together of like-minded individuals in the SMA family augurs well for the future of our niche charity as we continue to strive towards Supporting Tomorrow's Doctors Today!
The happy reunion concluded with a group photo of all present. Hopefully, it will not be another two years before we meet again.
As we continue our journey towards helping many more of those in need, I am reminded of this quote from Britain's arguably most well-known and greatest Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill: "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."