Educator volunteers to accompany dying patients without families in Singapore

Yong Kwon Seng, a 40-year-old educator in Singapore, has spent 16 years volunteering at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

He established the No One Dies Alone programme in 2019 to support critically ill patients who have no next of kin to accompany them during their final moments. Yong and a team of volunteers provide a reassuring presence for these patients, who are mostly seniors.

The volunteers stay by their bedsides to hold their hands, play music, and offer companionship until they pass away. Yong acts as an emergency contact for many patients, keeping his phone on at all times to ensure he can arrive quickly if a patient's condition worsens. The team has accompanied 19 patients to their deaths so far. Beyond end-of-life care, Yong leads 450 volunteers in organizing weekend activities for the patients.

These events include karaoke, making popiah, and celebrating holidays like Chinese New Year. He also organizes fashion shows and mock elections to help patients feel connected to the outside world. Yong credits his mother's lifelong dedication to caring for his disabled brother as his primary inspiration for his own volunteer work.