Broken pieces hurting lives
torn asunder, bloodied knives
yet, behold this grace that shines
God draws straight with crooked lines.

This evocative excerpt by chief executive officer of St Luke’s ElderCare (SLEC) Dr Kenny Tan is what you can expect to find in his newly launched collection of poems, Wounded Healer: Inspirations for Lent, which explores the themes of repentance, redemption, healing and hope central to the Lenten journey.

As he helps readers reflect on the wounds they carry and the healing that our Saviour brings, Dr Kenny, who has published four books of poetry, also hopes that he can raise more awareness about the physical wounds that many elders among us quietly suffer.

Bringing healing to wounds

Wounds are often referred to as a silent epidemic in healthcare. Without proper treatment, elders with chronic and complex wounds can suffer from infections, physical pain and emotional distress, which reduces their quality of life.

“Some wounds never do heal, so you have to maintain. Some wounds take a lot longer to heal, you have to be patient. It’s not just the consumables, not just the equipment, but also the manpower that’s required,” Dr Kenny said in a video about the book.

Treatment for wounds, which lasts between three to six months, can often be costly. But SLEC, which currently serves 5,000 elders, believes that no senior should be denied wound care.

“As the care for elders in Singapore is now moving out of hospitals and into the community, it is even more pressing that professional care staff and caregivers at home learn about wound care,” said Sister Susie Goh, Director of Nursing at St Luke’s ElderCare Residence@Ang Mo Kio.

“In our experience, 95% of wounds suffered by elders are external and preventable. Think about how we can collectively reduce pain and suffering in our elders,” she added.

SLEC is hoping to raise $250,000 to support its wound care team as it provides the best wound care management and training. They have raised 12% of their goal – or about $30,000 – so far.

For every gift of $150, donors will receive a copy of Dr Kenny’s Wounded Healer: Inspirations for Lent.

Donations will go to the organisation’s Healing Gets A Helping Hand Wound Care Fund, which enables elders with financial difficulties to get their much needed wound treatment.

A resource to reflect

With each poem speaking to the healing process of physical and emotional wounds, the collection was inspired by life itself, said Dr Kenny.

“In this whole journey of life, you fall, you have scars, you end up wounded individually, but that’s a very lonely journey until we realise that we are in a community, and that helps that whole journey of healing,” he explained.

In the book’s foreword, Bishop Emeritus Robert Solomon writes: “The season of Lent helps us to be reminded of this Gospel.

“This book by Dr Kenny Tan is immensely helpful because it is an unusual Lent devotion filled with gifted poetry that invites us to plunge deeply into Gospel truth.

“If you are looking for a meaningful resource to go through Lent, this is an excellent choice.

“The poetry slows us down to take in truth, slowly and deeply, and meet the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

Those interested to donate can click here.

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