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About the Company:
Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty, a group of benevolent people established Sian Chay Medical Institution to provide medicine to the community regardless of race, religion, social class or nationality. Sian Chay Medical Institution provides free medical consultation and highly-subsidised medication and treatment for the sick, needy, elderly and the general public.
Since its inception in 1901, Sian Chay depended on the goodwill of sponsors and donations from the community, transforming it into a charity healthcare provider that encourages society to take part in charity, in order to cope with the huge medical expenses.
In the 1990’s, Sian Chay ran into financial difficulties. Then, Honourable Chairman Mr Teo Kim Chuan decided he needed to find someone to take over. Among his friends, he thought of good friend Toh Soon Huat. After four rounds of discussions, Toh Soon Huat finally agreed to take up the position. Despite a lack of experience, Toh did not want to see the closure of this century-old medical institution. And he decided to take over in 2008.
Helming Sian Chay, Volunteer Executive Chairman Toh beliefs a progressing nation builds harmonious families that enjoy prosperity and success. By bonding with the people, Sian Chay scales with the nation. To ensure Sian Chay is able to continue its noble cause of serving the sick and needy, Sian Chay adheres strictly by its Core Values of FORGIVENESS - UNIVERSAL LOVE - COMPASSION - GRATITUDE - BLESSING and guided by its Spirit of TRUST - APPRECIATION - ATTITUDE - CONDUCT.
Apart from being a TCM healthcare service provider, Sian Chay provides a host of other treatment services like acupuncture, Tuina therapy, foot reflexology and hair trimming, offering patients a holistic treatment experience to enhance their recovery process through its 14 branches islandwide.
When a person is plagued by a illness, negative energy looms over the person, affecting his/her career, mental and physical well-being, family life, relationships with others and financial stability. Through our work, we hope to be the positive energy that alleviates our patients from the pains and sufferings, returning them what they deserve and giving them happiness so that they can add bliss to their families and build a harmonious society.
As a Social Service Agency, Sian Chay aligns itself with nation-building policies to work towards a happy, prosperous and progressive nation. Recognising the efforts of the Pioneer Generation who helped built Singapore since its independence, all Pioneer Generation enjoy full fee waiver at Sian Chay. Likewise, the Merdeka Generation receives highly-subsidised medicine, paying $1.50 per day for medication. Not forgetting the needy, patients under the government's financial assistance scheme or come from low-income backgrounds are eligible to apply for a full fee waiver.
Apart from partnering with grassroots organisations and government agencies, Sian Chay also collborates with other Social Service Agencies to reach out to more needy and the vulnerable. For example, Sian Chay entered an MOU with SOS Singapore to provide financial support $500 (in vouchers) to 100 individuals who turn to SOS for help. In turn, these beneficiaries are being introduced to Sian Chay so that they can turn to Sian Chay for their healthcare needs.
Not forgetting its core responsibility of serving patients, Sian Chay organises activities to promote values and culture, and to instill a spirit of giving and sharing. On a regular basis, Sian Chay gives out goodie bags containing basic necessities to needy residents. Through iconic events like Mother's Day celebration and the Mid Autumn Festival, Sian Chay gives out flowers, gift packs and Halal mooncakes to promote filial piety, a sense of gratitude, and the ability to celebrate major festivals despite facing financial challenges. All in all, Sian Chay works toward the final objectives of inculcating a spirit of giving and sharing and achieving racial harmony in a harmonious society.
Awarded by the Singapore President the President's Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards (PVPA), Chairman Toh is recognised for his contribution to Singapore's charity sector. Chairman Toh hopes his charity and philanthropic background, coupled with his rich business and life experiences, could help to inject positive energy to the society, promoting and instilling values to benefit people for the many generations to come. With support from his personal friends, at no cost on Sian Chay, Chairman published a series of 7 books to share his philosophies and experiences. So far, over 150,000 hardcopies (including reprinted version supported by readers) have been circulated apart from the digital version that is being widely shared on the worldwide web.
Sian Chay has recently acquired a 4-storey building at 208 Geylang Road. The new building will serve as the HQ of its 14 branches with adequate space for administration, multi-purpose hall for events and ceremonies, training, R&D, a history gallery and a thrift shop that is to be manned by student volunteers. Poised to be operation in the first half of 2023, the milestone move will be the great opportunity for Sian Chay to take its charity work to the next level.
Name
Sian Chay Medical Institution
ACRA
S62SS0055D
Website
Phone
6565653737
Year
Founded
1901
Address
610B Geylang Road (Off Lorong 36), Singapore 389549
"Sian Chay Staff believe serving mankind is the best job."
About the
Volunteer Executive Chairman
Born in a poor family, Dato’ Seri Toh Soon Huat (JP, BBM, PBM, PVPA, DIMS, SPTM) chose to drop out of secondary 3 due to the family’s financial challenges so as to be able to work and help with the family’s finances.
With sheer hard work, Mr Toh founded Novena Holdings Limited and was its Chief Executive Officer. Predominantly in the furniture (Novena) and cosmetics (Beaute Spring) businesses, Novena Holdings became a public-listed company in 2000. During his reign, he established premium furniture brands like Castilla Premium, Modern Living, The White Collection and Natural Living. Targeted at various market segments, these brands anchored Novena’s position in the industry as its leader and earned its reputation as the leading high-end consumer brand. As Novena’s reputation grew, Toh took it beyond the Singapore shores, setting up outlets in China, Malaysia and Vietnam, reaping exemplary success!
In 2002, Honourable Chairman Teo Kim Chuan invited Mr Toh to join the Sian Chay Board. In 2006, Mr Toh served as Sian Chay's Honourary Secretary.
Despite the many invitations by Chairman Teo for Mr Toh to take up Sian Chay's chairmanship, Mr Toh hesitated. To Mr Toh, taking the helm means doing it wholeheartedly, voluntarily. Upon seeing the dire situation Sian Chay was in and how the sick and needy would be deprived of Sian Chay's healthcare services if Sian Chay were to dissolve, Mr Toh finally accepted the invitation in 2008 and pledged to revive Sian Chay to benefit more people.
After selling off his shares in 2009, Toh set up the Novena Foundation and took on the position of Volunteer Executive Chairman of Sian Chay Medical Institution.
Mr Toh envisioned Sian Chay to be the free TCM consultation service provider of the people, helping not only the sick but the needy, through the promotion of culture, values, gratitude and a spirit of giving and sharing. To materialise this, Mr Toh set the following as beacons of Sian Chay:
CORE VALUES
Forgiveness - Universal Love - Compassion - Gratitude - Blessing
Sian Chay's Beliefs
Nation Progresses, Family Prospers; Family Harmony, Successful Endeavours;
Forward with the Nation, Bonding with the People
The Spirit of Sian Chay
Trust, Action, Attitude and Conduct form the integrity and virtues of charity work
Since then, there was no turning back.
As Sian Chay's Volunteer Executive Chairman, Mr Toh doesn’t draw a salary nor reimburse for expenses. To sustain his giving and reciprocate his donors, Chairman draws down his savings. Till date, he has raised $88.7 million.
From 1 clinic, 4 staff, serving 26 patients daily and about $300,000 in the bank, Mr Toh developed Sian Chay to its current 14 clinics, 120 staff, seeing about 1,400 patient visits daily!
Today, Sian Chay operates professionally under the structure built by Mr Toh. Overseeing the operations of both the medical and non-medical segments, Sian Chay's boasts the following departments; Clinics, Fundraising & Stewardship, Marketing & Communications, Admin & HR, Finance & Gift Processing, Cultural Development, Events, Projects & Volunteer Management and IT & Systems.
To Mr Toh, everyone in the universe belong to one family. Mr Toh inculcates positivity and values in Sian Chay. Patients are regarded as members of the Sian Chay family and being cared for like our own family members. Likewise, other charity organisations, VWOs, welfare organisations and Homes are also seen as one family serving the same cause of helping the needy and vulnerable.
Through over 15,000 hardcopies of 7 book titles which document Mr Toh's corporate and life experiences, he hopes his books will help his readers. Simple but impactful, his philosophical verses have been very well received and have successfully converted negative energy to positive ones, benefiting people in their lives.
Known to be a great philanthropist, Mr Toh has always been keenly involved in grassroots, contributing effort, time and making donations. He is also honorary chairman, honorary president and adviser to many clans and associations. In the past two decades, he has received long-service awards from the People’s Association for his 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of service to the nation. His philanthropic gestures not only benefit the people in Singapore, he also extends it to countries like China and Japan. His extensive philanthropic work shows that love is limitless and charity is borderless. In fact, he encourages everyone to come together and do good in unison.
Over the years, Mr Toh has earned himself the following accolades:
· 2004 Conferred The Public Service Medal (PBM) by the President of Singapore
· 2009 Conferred The Public Service Star (BBM) by the President of Singapore
· 2012 Being awarded Friend of Heritage by, The National Heritage Board of Singapore
· 2013 Being selected as one of the 50 Chinese philanthropists featured in the “Management World” magazine of the Development Research Centre of the State Council of China.
· 2015 Being conferred President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Award 2015 by the President of Singapore
· 2015 Being awarded Philanthropist of the year by China Pride Model Personalities Annual Festival in 2015
· 2016 Being awarded the Community Service Award for 25 years of dedicated Voluntary Service to the Community by Singapore People’s Association. Prior to this, Mr Toh was also awarded 10 years of Voluntary Service in 2001, 15 years in 2006 and 20 years in 2011.
· 2016 Being awarded the Annual Chinese Model Award in the second Annual Chinese Dream and Chinese brand Entrepreneurship and Ceremony
· 2016 Being awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award for Charity Personalities of West China Development, at the 6th Investing in West China - Excellent Entrepreneur Commendation Ceremony.
· 2016 Being awarded Peace Ambassador by the 7th Peace Flag
· 2017 Being awarded the Education Service Award by the Ministry of Education of Singapore
· 2017 Being awarded China Philanthropist Award by the organising committee of China International Philanthropy Forum
· 2018 Being appointed Justice of Peace by the President of Singapore
· 2018 Being awarded Friend of the Arts by the National Arts Council
· 2018 Being awarded Kotler Award for Excellence in Philanthropic Leadership by Marketing Institute of Singapore
· 2019 Being name as honouree of Forbes Asia’s 2019 Heroes of Philanthropy
· 2019 Being awarded the honorary titles of 2019 Person of the Year Award and 2019 Charity Leader Award by Chinese Model Personality.
· 2020 Being awarded Friend of the Arts by the National Arts Council
· 2021 Being nominated as asking the 100 "New Generation Fighters" in conjuction with the special publication to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communists Party in China's golden era
202BeiBeing nominated as asking the 100 "New Generation Fighters" in conjuction with the special publication to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communists Party in China's golden era202Bein
· 2021 being awarded Grand Award for Community Service for thirty years of dedicated voluntary service to the community by Singapore People's Association
· 2022 being awarded the Education Service Award by the Ministry of Education of Singapore
