Ex-DPM Heng Swee Keat and other stroke survivors pay tribute to caregivers

“Without her approval, I would not be here today,” he told dinner attendees.

He said it was harrowing for her as she did not know if he would fully recover, be able to speak, walk, eat or even write.

“Despite that, she was by my side every day and every night. When I opened my eyes, I could see her crying,” he said, adding that she was very encouraging during his recovery.

“Today, she has a deep understanding of the fear and anxiety that caregivers of stroke survivors go through that she is able to (lead) S3 to give support not only to stroke survivors but also to their caregivers,” he said.

At the end of his tribute, Mr Heng presented her with a bouquet of red roses, and the couple shared a kiss.

This was not the first time Mr Heng honoured his wife for helping him during his recovery.

In March 2020, he thanked her in his posts both on Facebook and Instagram as

.

Posting a picture of him and his wife forming a heart shape with their fingers, he called her “my pillar of strength and support”.

“Together with her by my side, we have brought up our two children, and she showered me with the best care after my stroke, helping to nurse me back to full recovery in 2016. She is my #SuperSHEro,” he wrote.

A stroke happens when a part of the brain is damaged due to interruption of its blood supply. The symptoms and signs of a stroke depend on the size and location of the damaged area.

There are two main types of stroke – ischaemic, caused by a blockage in a blood vessel to the brain; and haemorrhagic, caused by bleeding from a ruptured blood vessel in the brain.

Other stroke survivors, including

, rock band Sweet Charity lead guitarist Rosli Mohalim, Malay folk duo NurAdee and former radio DJ Bernard Lim, also presented bouquets to their spouses, children and foreign domestic helpers at the dinner.