A therapist in perfect harmony with her musical patient

In 2019, Tiffany was still a secondary school student who attended occupational therapy at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH). She dreamt of working in the music industry from a young age in spite of her stunted fingers and lack of muscle strength which left her exhausted after writing for a short period or even just twisting off the cap of a water bottle. “I have had dyslexia and struggled to achieve good grades no matter how hard I worked since I was a child,” Tiffany recalls. “However, I knew music was my true calling, so I began learning the violin at the age of five. Although it presented challenges, my passion for music compelled me to persevere and strive for a future as a musician.”

Tiffany’s finger and wrist weaknesses posed significant obstacles, but Gigi Ng, Advanced Practice Occupational Therapist of PYNEH, devised a routine of exercises to improve her hand and wrist strength. These included molding clay and using an art knife to carve rubber stamps. “Tiffany is an outgoing girl. Rather than comparatively repetitive exercises typically assigned to adult patients, I chose games and crafts to add a more engaging dimension to Tiffany’s therapy,” Gigi explains. “That’s the interesting thing about occupational therapy. The treatment plans are tailored to the patients’ unique needs, personality, and tolerance levels. I particularly designed games that required finger spreading, enabling Tiffany to play the violin across the strings.”

Tuning into her patient’s passion

Remarkably, Gigi even enrolled in a violin course in her spare time and spent a year learning the instrument from scratch to give Tiffany more personalised training. “I wanted to find out what muscles she uses when she plays the violin. She always says that string crossing and vibrato are very difficult and tiring, but if I didn’t learn the instrument myself, I wouldn’t understand her difficulties,” says Gigi. “After the lessons, I realised that I had to lift my hand all day long and my arm would get tired, so I designed a set of training using therabands to strengthen the shoulder and upper limb muscles, which can help improve stability when holding the violins and pulling the strings.” It is interesting to note that when Gigi made Tiffany’s dream come true, Gigi’s dream of learning violin also came true.

Tiffany is grateful to Gigi for going to such lengths to understand her difficulties. After three years of occupational therapy, her dedication and compassion has paid dividends. “I see an improvement after every session,” she says. “For instance, my pinky finger is stronger when pressing the strings. I feel more confident, and I know more about my weaknesses and how to remedy them. Gigi reminds me to relax my muscles, and loosen my wrist joints, too.”

Gigi in turn is impressed by Tiffany’s determination and perseverance, despite her congenital condition. “Tiffany has perfect pitch. This talent should not be wasted, and I am proud to be able to help her fulfil her dream,” says Gigi. “I always remember what my tutor said when I was studying: Every therapist is a little angel of a young patient, and even though we may not be able to stop the pain and see immediate results from a single dose of medication, we will leave behind colours and changes in their lives.”

Tiffany successfully enrolled in a tertiary music programme specialising in writing and producing pop music last September and was awarded a scholarship. “I am very happy to be able to study my favourite subject and continue to develop a music career, Tiffany smiles shyly. “Gigi is like an angel who has accompanied me in my growth over the years. I will continue to work hard in the future.”