Pam Oei, Linying and more sing in support of toddler who needs treatment
It's something special when women get together to help other women. Information technology's even more special when women whose just connectedness is having been in the same school – and over different cohorts – come together to help a old educatee.
That's what actress Pam Oei and 5 other Singapore musicians did on Sunday evening (Aug 22).
The 49-year-one-time Oei got together with Linying, the co-composer of the National Day 2022 song The Road Ahead; musician and marketing managing director Aarika Lee; singer-songwriter and musician Chen Yi; and jazz vocalists Anne Weerapass and Alemay Fernandez for an hour-long livestream concert titled CHIJ Thanks Devdan On.
The performers, some of whom had never met before, are all former students of the Convent of the Holy Babe Jesus (CHIJ).
The oldest is Weerapass, who graduated in 1982, and the youngest is Linying, who graduated in 2010. Lee graduated from CHIJ Katong Convent in 1999.
Their cause: To help raise the funds needed for Devdan Devaraj, the 22-month-old toddler who was diagnosed with a rare form of spinal muscular cloudburst when he was one month old. The genetic status affects the lower limbs and his power to walk.
1 of the two ways to treat it is with a drug called Zolgensma, which costs almost Southward$2.9 million. It was canonical in the U.s. in 2022 and requires special arrangements to bring into Singapore.
According to the fundraising page posted on crowdfunding clemency site Ray of Promise, Devdan will exist receiving the treatment around mid-September.
Oei told CNA Lifestyle in a phone interview that it started with a phone call from Juliana Jauw, whose all-time friend is Shu Wen, Devdan's mother. Both women graduated from CHIJ Secondary School in 2005.
"Juliana called me on the third twenty-four hour period of the campaign. There was a race against time because the treatment has to be administered before Devdan turns two," Oei said.
That call kickstarted a flurry of more calls, leading Oei and other CHIJ friends to search for alumnae who could perform.
"Alemay was one of the very first people I approached, and Anne just had a livestream at the Loudanclear studio," Oei said.
As it turned out, Singaporeans were already behind the cause, and the amount was raised a few days earlier the live concert.
Oei said during the livestream of the event that around xxx,000 people contributed amounts such as S$two, S$ten and South$50, reaching a total of S $2.868 million in x days. The fundraising entrada is now airtight.
Auspicious DEVDAN ON
As their initial goal of raising funds was no longer needed, the performers turned the i-hour alive concert into an avenue to thank Singaporeans for the outpouring of support and dearest for Devdan.
"All fun aside, big love to the IJ spirit living in our hearts after and so many years, reignited to cheer this piffling sweetheart on," said Aarika Lee on Instagram. "Nosotros can really do anything together."
Lee opened the concert with the classic Own't No Mountain High Enough, followed by Chen Yi who sang a Chinese song, Tai Yang (sun in English).
Fifty-5 students from the laurels-winning CHIJ Secondary School choir also sang a choral rendition of Ave Maria.
Other performances included Fernandez singing The Greatest Honey Of All and Oei'south rendition of Rainbow Connection.
Linying, who was originally scheduled to appear but had to bow out to take care of her sick true cat, recorded an acoustic version of The Road Ahead.
The concert included a segment featuring the school'due south favourite songs over the years, from a selection of hymns to the Founder's Mean solar day song, beautifully sung in French past Fernandez.
The singers came together only one time, via a Zoom telephone call, to prep the keys to the songs, and apposite the concluding song on the day itself. "Information technology really was a jam more than anything else," Oei said.
Quondam students and teachers posted uplifting comments on the YouTube page. A commenter said: "I haven't had this feeling in decades. Thanks all for bringing the states together again."
The livestream airtight with Oei reading a letter from Shu to thank the CHIJ organisers and sponsors, including Jauw.
" Sharing Devdan's journey and letting other people into our lives aid us realise that at that place is truly hope and expert things ahead of us," said Shu in the alphabetic character.
"If CHIJ accepts boys, I'll definitely send Devdan there."
Watch the full concert here. Notation: Linying'south segment was only bachelor during the livestream.
CNA Women is a new section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modernistic woman. If you accept women-related news, problems and ideas to share with u.s.a., email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg .
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