Valuable life lessons to be learnt from special-needs child Vera

Mdm Tham Yin May gave birth to her daughter Vera after a pregnancy that saw poor growth and abnormalities detected in the child’s brain (“Caring for a special child: A working mother’s experience”, Jan 8).

It has been a path with many challenges and uncertainties. But Mdm Tham and her family have soldiered on, celebrating every milestone of Vera’s development. The intrinsic value of eight-year-old Vera is not dependent on her ability. She is precious the moment she was conceived.

Family life includes shouldering one another’s burdens and assisting those in need. Mdm Tham and her husband are very fortunate to have understanding employers.

Families with special-needs members require more support from the Government and the community. They may be in dire need of resources, without which some may resort to desperate measures such as abortion, suicide, divorce and so on.

Our individual happiness cannot be separated from the good of the community where we live. The common good requires helping anyone who needs help. Through this process, we cultivate love, affection and attachment for others.

The greatest gift we can give to anyone is love. Loving others as we love ourselves will make our country a better place to live in. Truly, Vera has taught us valuable life lessons.