By Jesse Bay, Diploma in Mass Communications, Republic Polytechnic  

As a Senior Executive at Singapore Red Cross’ Communications Team, Sondra Foo touches readers with heartfelt stories of Red Cross’ beneficiaries

Making a career switch to join the Singapore Red Cross a decade ago was one of the best choices Sondra Foo, 40, has made in her life. 

Sondra, currently a senior executive at the communications team, says her work satisfies her desire to write stories about real people, “stories that have a positive impact on their lives in a direct way”.

After graduating with a Business degree from the Nanyang Technological University in 2002, she worked in various positions in the finance sector but felt that her jobs were “unfulfilling”. At the back of her mind was her wish to pursue a writing job – which she did after she completed her part-time diploma in Mass Communication at a private university.

But the Red Cross job is like no other.

Sondra interviews beneficiaries whose lives are far from smooth-sailing. She recalled interviewing a blind beneficiary who met with an accident; another who sustained a spinal cord injury after a road accident; and there was a young father of two who was diagnosed with cancer. 

“These people went through many obstacles in life, yet they did not give up. They inspired me with their grit, resilience, perseverance and strong willpower to remain undaunted by the adversities they face. They accept and face their challenges head-on,” explains Sondra.

Her experiences with Red Cross’ beneficiaries have also taught her to count her blessings in life. 

No mean task

Although writing touching stories on the human spirit does help to raise awareness about the organisation’s humanitarian mission, Sondra says it is not always easy to raise funds. 

One challenge that the Singapore Red Cross faces is in raising funds for its local services. Many locals hold the misperception that the Red Cross has no lack of funds as it has raised millions of dollars for disasters such as the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in 2011. 

However, what people do not know is that the Singapore Red Cross is not allowed to tap into those funds as it can only be used to help people who are affected by disasters overseas. The current COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the problem and made it harder to get donations. Donors who have lost their jobs or are suffering from a pay cut have understandably cut back on donations. 

“We foresee the climate to be really challenging in terms of fundraising going forward. But our beneficiaries still need to put food on the table, need transport to get to their medical appointments, our elderly need the precious gift of friendship, and our disabled residents still need quality care,” Sondra added.

Another task that the Red Cross has is getting more people to donate blood regularly. Currently, only 1.8 percent of the residential population is donating blood and the humanitarian organisation is responsible for recruiting more donors to support the nation’s blood transfusion needs. 

Power of the pen

But the writing has to continue. To dispel the misconception that Red Cross has a deep pool of funds and to raise awareness about its local services, the Corporate Communications team continues to share stories about its local humanitarian work in the media, on its website, social media platforms, e-news and magazines. 

In addition, additional precautionary measures implemented at the bloodbanks and blood drives assure potential blood donors that it is safe to donate blood. Such measures include mandatory temperature taking, active crowd management and strict safe distancing measures.

“If you have the heart to touch, uplift and brighten the lives of others and make a difference, join us. It will be a fulfilling and rewarding journey, where you forge bonds and bring them joy. You will also enrich your own life in the process,” said Sondra.

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