A Soft Spot for Young Families

As an experienced nurse and mother of two young children, Xu Fen has an especially soft spot for the young families she serves. She moved to Singapore in 2006 and joined HCA in 2008 upon her mentor’s recommendation. Hospice care was completely new to Xu Fen then, who had been working in acute care, but the leap of faith she took paved the way for a long and fruitful career, 15 years and counting.

Despite having to juggle caring for two young children and long work days that often end past 7-8pm, Xu Fen still manages to find time to go the extra mile. Her patient Mdm A, who was in her late 30s, passed on last year, leaving behind three young children. Till date, Xu Fen and her colleagues are still in touch with the family, rendering practical support and bringing the kids out on occasion.

“In hospice care, we really need to follow our heart and care for the patient and everyone in the family, including helpers, if any,” Xu Fen says. “This allows us to build a partnership with the caregiver to deliver care.”

For Xu Fen, it is the same simple motivation that has kept her going for 15 years and going. “I really love my job,” she says simply.