A Letter To Myself

Efasha Kamarudin, a trailblazing boxer who ranked 15th in the world in the superflyweight division earlier in 2025, shares how becoming a mother made her a better fighter, how she's grown in her relationship with her coach — who's also her husband, and more about her journey as one of Singapore's few women professional boxers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeremy Monteiro marks 50 years in music in 2026. The internationally-acclaimed, award-winning jazz musician reflects on some of the most meaningful and moving experiences that have defined his remarkable career, beginning from his teens — and shares the most precious insights he's gained about his sense of mission, the pricelessness of time and family, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As civil war was escalating in his native Syria, Abdulhadi Al Saadi's family decided to leave. Hadi was only in his mid-teens then, and would spend the next three years moving between three different countries to rebuild their lives. A chance encounter with a special customer brought him to Singapore, where he opened a Syrian shawarma eatery in 2023. Damascus Delights has since grown in popularity in its Tampines neighbourhood and beyond. Hadi, now in his late-twenties and married with a growing family, reflects on his journey and the deep lessons it's taught him about love and resilience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sabrina Anis was in university when she was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a condition that gradually affects a person's physical functions, including the ability to move, speak, eat and breathe. Sabrina, now in her-mid twenties, shares how she continues to find purpose and value in her journey, through the love she has experienced from her family and friends — and the care and concern she chooses to share with others around her. For more information about support resources for individuals with ALS and their families, you can visit www.mnda.org.sgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Navin Amarasuriya hails from one of Singapore's oldest family businesses, BP de Silva, which after 154 years is still known for their high-end jewellery. But he stepped away from the world of luxury to embrace a deeper calling. Today, he's the CEO of The Contentment Foundation, a US-based non-profit organisation (present in 12 countries including Singapore) that equips educators with personal wellbeing competencies so that they can be healthier role models for their students. Navin shares how his journey of growth unfolded and what he'd say in his letter to his younger self.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a child, Dino Isaac survived domestic violence, endured homelessness, and grew up without parental support. You may recognise Dino from a recent viral video, in which he shared how the Place of Birth on his birth certificate states: "Gambas Avenue, open space surrounded by bushes". Dino, who is currently working towards becoming a social worker, shares his remarkable journey of resilience, reconciliation, and conviction — that he can give meaning to his past struggles by helping others find strength in their journey. Dino is also writing an autobiography called: "The Jungle Boy: A Singapore Son".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Chan has worn many hats — one of which was actually a green helmet. That was in 2003, when he co-starred as the Green Ranger in the popular American television series The Power Rangers. Jason, who relocated to Singapore in 2006 and is today an entrepreneur in the film and audio industries, still gets recognised by fans today! He shares the most valuable lessons he's gained on an enriching journey that's a lot more colourful than the lycra costume he donned on set.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nazhath Faheema is the founder of hash.peace, a youth-focussed group that advocates interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Faheema shares the events that started her on a passionate journey to help sustain Singapore's multicultural harmony, why some people are sometimes surprised to see her in certain places of worship, and what she'd say in her letter to her younger self.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Chan has built an illustrious career in theatre for over 30 years — as an actor, singer, director, choreographer, and a talent competition judge on television. Since 2024, he has also been a psychotherapist in private practice, with a particular interest in grief therapy. George shares the challenges of his growing-up years, the personal experiences that led him to seek therapy as an adult, why he subsequently decided to become a therapist, and how he has come to appreciate the synergy between theatre and therapy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Hung is a national para-athlete in the sport of goalball. Joan, who was born with a condition that led her to gradually lose her eyesight, shares how sports as well as the support of her family and friends helped her rise above her challenges. Today, as part of the Purple Parade Leadership Programme, and as a facilitator in the resilience programme Control Your Controllables, Joan also helps motivate others — the abled as well as the differently-abled — to believe in their ability to achieve their goals. Joan also shares the role she'll be playing in the Purple Parade taking place on Sat 25 Oct, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anita Kapoor is best-known for her work of over two decades presenting memorable travel and lifestyle programmes on a variety of TV channels. But away from the spotlight, Anita has been on personal journey of growth — in one instance, resulting in the coming-together of her worlds as a presenter, daughter, and caregiver. Anita shares how, through the ups and downs of her journey, she has come to embrace a deeper sense of love, purpose, and authenticity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years after leaving the elite US Army Special Forces, Gene Yu found himself leading a team to secure the release of a Taiwanese woman who had been kidnapped by militants in the Philippines. It was just one of many extraordinary moments in Gene's journey — from his youth as an Asian American in search of his identity, becoming an accomplished officer in the Green Berets, and then moving into the finance and technology sectors. In 2015, Gene founded Blackpanda, which is now a cyber emergency response firm headquartered in Singapore. Gene shares his remarkable journey and what he'd say in his letter to his younger self.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel Charles began his entrepreneurship journey in primary school, went on to start an international motorsport business and received a Spirit of Enterprise Award at the age of 21. After a decade of building businesses overseas (including one that became a contractor for NASA), he came back to Singapore in 2025 armed with a new mission: acquire Singapore SME's and create an ecosystem in which young and promising Singaporeans can hone their business leadership acumen, with himself as a mentor through the journey. Daniel, who is the founder of Sum Capital Partners, shares how the grit and gumption of Singapore's Pioneer generation inspired his belief that Singaporeans can compete among the world's best, and reflects on what he'd say in his letter to his younger self.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warren Sheldon Humphries was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in 2020, when he was in his early fifties. It's a neurological condition that eventually took away his ability to walk and even hold a pen. Amidst the emotional turmoil, he was contemplating ending it all when a close friend called him out of the blue. The unexpectedly firm conversation was a turning point that led him to seek mental health support and gave him a newfound sense of purpose. Sheldon is today an advocate for fellow persons with disabilities, a paracounsellor, docent at the Enabling Village, and a Community and Partnerships Manager with a social enterprise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gopal Mahey is senior counsellor at the Centre for Psychotherapy, where he focusses on supporting individuals fighting substance abuse. In 2013, Gopal himself had been arrested for drug offences. It was a turning point. Throughout his journey of personal transformation, his family rallied around him  and gave him the strength to re-embrace his calling as a counsellor with a renewed sense of mission. Gopal shares how his journey has given him a special empathy and insight into what former offenders and their families go through, and how he uses his lived experience in his clinical work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renny Goh always dreamed of becoming a musician, but her parents had one condition — she had to earn a degree first. While she was in NUS, she continued playing in her band, singing covers on YouTube and getting gigs. But it was a cousin’s near-death which clarified her goals, and she decided to chase her ambition in Los Angeles. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Renny tells Joel Chua how she navigated an unusual path for a Singaporean.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yvon and Leon Bock are the co-founders of Hegen, a Singapore brand well-known for its baby feeding bottles. But it was the traumatic delivery of their fourth child which spurred them to embark on a journey to help others. In the process, the couple created a profitable business. Joel Chua sits down with them for their lessons on life, love and parenthood. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Suresh left a stable job in the military to pursue his dream of being a comics author. From reflections of life in Singapore in the 1960s and 70s to co-creating the iconic Mr Kiasu comic series, James’ work aims to capture the essence of being a Singaporean. He reflects on his career and creative journey with Joel Chua.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Married couple Nuraziana Mohamed Said and Mohamed Iskandar Misran share many common interests, including a love for music. But there is something else that binds them together. They were both diagnosed as visually impaired when they were children. Although they started out as fierce academic rivals in school, the couple found themselves drawn to each other - once more - a decade later. In this episode, Nuraziana and Iskandar share with Joel Chua how their love strengthens one another and why they are using music and podcast to advocate for persons with disabilities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Fion Phua, founder of volunteer platform Keeping Hope Alive, has been volunteering since she was 16. For more than 40 years, she's witnessed severe cases of hoarding, including one where someone hoarded toilet paper. But she doesn’t tell the people she meets she’s there to lend a hand – instead, she asks them to help her be useful. She shares her story with Joel Chua. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Better known as Sya, she is an exclusive content creator for the humour platform SGAG and has almost 350,000 followers on TikTok. Her comedic videos regularly go viral, with some getting millions of views, but behind the outrageous humour is a lot of heart and hard work, and a couple of hard knocks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For those who have found their forever partners by swiping right, there are many more for whom dating apps can be a source of great frustration and disappointment. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Violet, the co-founder of the matchmaking agency Lunch Actually, tells Joel Chua how she built her company despite these online competitors, what she learnt about love and the reasons why people don't get a second date.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sylvia Toh Paik Choo is known as the Godmother of Singlish, as she was probably the first to codify Singapore's unique language with her groundbreaking book "Eh, Goondu!" in 1982.  She tells Joel Chua how she established a prolific career as author, broadcaster and being inducted into the Woman’s Hall of Fame, despite leaving mainstream education at 14. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Delonix Tan was a textbook bad boy. Struggling in school and falling in with the wrong crowd, he walked the well-worn path towards violence and delinquency. He ended up in police lock-up twice and was expelled from school. But a book his cousin gave him would change his life’s trajectory towards a life of entrepreneurship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cellist Hughes Chong remembers the day strangers from the bank entered his house, labelling anything of value because his family declared bankruptcy. During this difficult period, with angry relatives constantly showing up at their doorstep demanding money, Hughes turned to his “buddy” - the cello – for solace. The composer and founder of the Cellography Orchestra started playing the cello when he was seven, fell in love with it and began pursuing it professionally.  The instrument would later become a source of strength for a second time when his mother suffered a stroke. Despite a bleak prognosis, Hughes’ mother made a full recovery and learnt to move her fingers again with the help of the cello.   In this episode, Hughes tells Joel Chua how the strings became instrumental in comforting his younger self and provided hope for his mother to heal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a pin prick to draw blood for their newborn son didn’t stop bleeding for 36 hours, parents Geoffrey Toi and Amelia Teng knew something was very wrong with their child. At six months old, Christopher was diagnosed with Bile Acid Synthesis Disorder – and he is the only patient in Singapore with this rare disease.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian author of Being Happy tried studying law but didn't find it suitable. So at 25, he decided to write a book and his first attempt was rejected 77 times. Andrew Matthews, 66, tells Joel Chua why failing many times is better than not trying and what he thinks is the secret to being happy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, the veteran actor and entertainer has made Singaporeans laugh but when Suhaimi Yusof was struck by a rare form of stroke, he went back to the place that gave him the greatest comfort. He shares how letters he wrote to himself made all the difference in bouncing back.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014, a car crash in New Zealand left the then 31-year-old Jean Ling with a serious spinal cord injury. When she woke up, she was forced to rebuild her life. Now married with two children and expecting a third, she shares how she found the mindset to triumph over despair.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After his mother died, Ganesh Kumar planted a hibiscus on a bare hillside in Woodlands. Today, it is a vibrant, 4,000 sq m oasis for stressed-out urbanites, the elderly in wheelchairs, and ex-offenders. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Ganesh reflects on the garden’s transformation, its deep connection to the community, and how his own grief made space for the healing of others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Alison Lim was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia in her fifties, a form of dementia that affects speech, she feared losing everything - her words, her mind, her active life until then. But in her daughter, Jamie Buitelaar, she found a pillar to lean on. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Alison and Jamie recount how humour and resilience trumped darkness and despair. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For more than 40 years, Russell Wong captured the faces of some of Hollywood's most iconic stars – from Robert De Niro to Michelle Yeoh. But as a student in Singapore, he found himself thinking he was not good enough. Until his father, a doctor, gave him a camera before he left to study in the US. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Russell opens up about how he discovered photography and what he would say to that young man. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Syamlia Sri Dewi is a dedicated peer leader with the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association. She was 22 when she started consuming methamphetamine — known as “ice”. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Syamlia opens up about the pivotal turning point in her addiction, and how her deep love for her children changed the course of her life.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At just 25, Matthew Tay is Singapore's youngest bus interchange supervisor. His fascination with public buses began as a child, yet his unique passion didn’t always make it easy to fit in. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Matthew opens up about his journey — from discovering his love for buses to overcoming challenges and finding his place in the industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aidli Mosbit, an award-winning actress, playwright, and director, is a prominent figure in Singapore’s Malay arts and culture scene. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Aidli and her husband Lezan share their delightful and dramatic story of finding love in their 40s and 50s, and how theatre set the stage for them to find a more mature love in each other, later in life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cynthia Ong, otherwise known to thousands as "tiredgenzmum" on TikTok, is a devoted mother who works tirelessly to provide her children with the love and care she lacked growing up. In this episode of A Letter to Myself, Cynthia shares her journey of overcoming a tumultuous childhood and has a powerful message to her younger self.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.