Shalom Lim is a University of Liverpool graduate, having completed an honors bachelor’s degree in criminology and security in July 2021. Born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and diagnosed at 4 months old in 1996, he is currently based in the Eastern part of Singapore. His hope for his column is to advocate for the health and well-being of the muscular dystrophy community in Southeast Asia.
On Saturday, I presented at the Participation — Inclusion in Action Conference 2024, which was held in my home of Singapore for the first time. My physiotherapist at the National University Hospital, who’s also a disability and healthcare…
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After 17 years, Shalom Lin is preparing to say good-bye to his caregiver, Glenda. Goodbyes are always painful but often necessary. Nothing lasts forever, so we must enjoy what we have with the people we love, he writes.
One cozy night last September, my parents and I relaxed in the living room after dinner. My father turned to me and asked for a movie recommendation. It’d been awhile since we’d done this — our cherished family tradition…
Readers of my column are familiar with my Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) story, which began with my diagnosis in February 1996. My older brother, Isaac, was diagnosed with DMD at birth in August 1991. My family’s…
This month, I had the rare opportunity to meet Dr. Brenda Wong, a native Singaporean and a professor of pediatrics and neurology at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, where she was the founding director of its…
Note: This column contains spoilers for the series finale of the Netflix TV show “Dead to Me.” As I write this, the date is April 3. I’ve just survived the longest and most helpless week of my life. Two…
On the evening of March 8, I was mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook feed when I stumbled upon a public post from Singaporean Paralympic swimmer Sophie Soon, who uses a guide dog for help with her visual impairment. In…
On Feb. 18, I attended an ART:DIS event at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) to kick off this year’s Arts and Disability Forum. It was a panel held with Project Art Works (a neurodivergent artist collective…
Note: This column includes thoughts about suicide. Resources for help are listed at the end. On the verge of this new year, I was struck by what felt like a surrealistic event. It was a surprise I never expected,…
On Dec. 4, I performed British singer-songwriter Calum Scott’s 2017 pop ballad “You Are the Reason” at a live caroling session with ART:DIS, the first organization in Singapore to pioneer the artistic development of members of the…
On Nov. 27, I attended a live performance by ART:DIS musician Sky Shen, an old friend from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Singapore) (MDAS). The show featured his recent debut EP, “Wheel You Love Me?”…
On Nov. 10, I delivered my second poem, “Breaking the Fourth Wall,” at an engagement by ART:DIS, the first organization in Singapore to pioneer the artistic development of members of the disabled community. The goal of ART:DIS is…
I celebrated my 27th birthday on Oct. 25 and feel tremendously blessed to have made it this far, especially with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Duke (my pet name for Duchenne) has taken me through many arduous trials and…
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