Ng has seen how powerful love can be in the face of a life-threatening diagnosis. She recalls a young mother who was initially in denial about her cancer diagnosis and delayed treatment.
Eventually, she decided to undergo treatment for the sake of her four young children.
“What struck me was not that she never felt afraid; she was. She reminded me that courage is not the absence of fear, but finding a way to keep going despite it,” said Ng.
“We often think we are there to care for our patients but they teach us just as much how to live.”
The emotional demands of healthcare work can be heavy, but what keeps her going is looking back at the reason why she went into nursing in the first place.
“My father’s experience as a patient had a profound impact on me, and when things feel overwhelming, I think about that… and what it means to be there for someone at their most vulnerable state. That always helps put things back into perspective,” she said.
Looking ahead, Ng hopes to continue developing initiatives that strengthen patient education, support cancer survivors and encourage early detection.
She is especially interested in projects that connect patients with the right resources and address needs that may be overlooked after treatment.
“For me, the most meaningful projects are those that can create a lasting difference in a patient’s journey. Not just medically but also emotionally, socially and in terms of their overall quality of life,” she said.