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ABOUT US

Our Mission

To raise awareness and to provide education, counselling and support to people with diabetes, their families and the community in order to empower them to lead a healthy and productive life.

Our Objectives

To provide service to people with diabetes and others interested in diabetes

To undertake activities that promote the general well-being of people with diabetes or are at risk of diabetes

To strive to remove prejudice and ignorance concerning diabetes.

The Passion of One

The idea of forming an organisation to reach out to and help diabetes patients began stirring in the mind of Dr Frederick Tan Bock Yam more than 40 years ago.

His interest in diabetes developed when he had to treat diabetic patients at The Singapore General Hospital, where he was attached to after graduation. In those days, patients had poor knowledge of their condition or how to treat their diabetes.

Dr Tan’s postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom led him to the work with two eminent endocrinologists - the late Professor Sir Derrick Dunlop the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland and the late Professor Sir Russell Fraser at the Hammersmith Postgraduate School of Medicine, London, England. It was during this time that he learned about the programmes of the British Diabetic Association, which further sparked his interest in diabetes.

Inspired by the values of generosity and compassion of the pioneer philanthropist Tan Tock Seng, to whom Dr Tan is a direct descendant, he wanted to do something for the sick. Coupled with his passion for supporting people with diabetes and educating people about its serious complications, Dr Tan founded the Diabetic Society of Singapore (DSS) on 25 September 1971.

Outreach to Many

The earliest educational meetings and self-care courses were held at the conference room of Alexandra Hospital until 1974. Other venues were the Lee Kong Chian Hall of The Singapore Council of Social Service in Penang Lane, function rooms in various hotels and Mount Alvernia Hospital. The Society was temporarily housed in a room rented from The Singapore Council of Social Service from February 1976 until 1993. In 1993, DSS moved to its present headquarters at Ang Mo Kio Community Hospital.

On February 22, 1998, a satellite centre, the DSS Sembawang-Hong Kah Diabetes Education and Care Centre, was officially opened by then Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan, at the Hong Kah West Community Club. This centre has helped facilitate access to services for the residents in Jurong, such as counselling, health education, checks on blood sugar and cholesterol.

In September 2006, a spanking new centre – more aptly named South-West Diabetes and Education Care Centre - was unveiled after the addition of a new resource and activity area to accommodate more information materials, workshops and programmes.

In 2002, a second centre was set up in another strategic location. Dr Lee Boon Yang officially opened the Central Singapore Diabetes Education & Care Centre at Boon Keng Road.

Strength to Strength

In 1977, DSS acquired full membership in the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Western Pacific Region. The Society was able to send representatives to meetings held every three years in different cities since 1976. In 1999, DSS was elected the secretariat of the IDF-Western Pacific Region. In line with the IDF, the Society has observed World Diabetes Day annually since 1991 with talks, lectures and exhibitions for members as well as the public.

Education has always been the key objective of the society. Its quarterly publication, DMLife, was recently revamped in October 2006 to usher in Diabetes Singapore – so called to reflect its growing role as the voice of diabetes in Singapore. The publication continues to be distributed free to all members and will focus on lifestyle changes, diabetes self-care skills and topical news on diabetes.

The Society organises public forums six to seven times a year at hotels. They are conducted by leading local specialists and visiting experts and have been well-attended and well-received by the public. Such forums – which are conducted in English, Mandarin, Malay or Tamil - have successfully reached out to people of all races and all walks of life.