Area of Focus: Eldercare
Partnership agency: Singapore Hospice Council, Qeren Comm, Ogilvy & Mather
Conceptualised & Initiated by Lien Foundation
Lifting the silence on death, the SHC-Lien Foundation’s hospice public awareness campaign in 2006 took a direct hit at a subject faced and shunned by many.
Death and hospices are taboo topics, especially in the Asian context. In rapidly aging Singapore, however, these topics are becoming issues of concern, especially with regard to care for the elderly.
Taking the bull by the horns, the Foundation championed the cause of the dying and rallied the eight members of the Singapore Hospice Council
together in a nationwide drive to increase public awareness on hospice care and debunk the common misperception of hospices as dying places.
Convening a group of creative talents and professionals, the Foundation together with the Singapore Hospice Council, launched a multi-pronged campaign that involved public relations, advertising, web, events and public education. A special hospice helpline, 1800 333 6666 was launched and public talks were conducted island-wide.
Qeren Communications, a boutique PR and marketing communications agency formed the campaign’s backbone to create sustained publicity that highlighted the positive aspects of hospice care via the local print and broadcast media, the internet and through events such as the island-wide photo exhibition and the live release of butterflies on the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2006.
Noted lensman and volunteer, Kheng-Li Wee revealed the other side of hospices unknown to many by capturing poignant moments in the photo exhibition entitled “Adding Life to Days”
that depict the courage and fortitude of patients, the faith and passion of caregivers, and the indefatigable spirit of doctors, nurses and volunteers.
Award-winning talents from international advertising heavyweight Ogilvy & Mather, Tham Khai Meng, Co-Chairman (Ogilvy Asia Pacific) and Eugene Cheong, Regional Head of Copy captured public attention and response with their straight, arresting approach in four provocative and heart tugging print ads:
The ads hit home personally for Eugene and Khai Meng. Eugene, whose 90 year old mother-in-law is a stroke victim said, “After doing the campaign, I view her with more sympathy. I’ll look after her and hold her hands more often.” For Khai Meng, the ads reminded him of his late father’s battle with cancer and the urgency of hospice care for the dying. After the campaign, Khai Meng said, “There’re more important things than writing an ad. You feel you want to spend more time with your family and friends.” The little things in life become just as cherished and important.
And these seemingly nondescript details took a larger than life perspective in a special v-blog created on the campaign’s website, www.lifebeforedeath.org.sg, featuring the last days of hospice patient and end stage lung cancer victim, Mohd Abdooh. In a simple TV ad, Abdooh invited viewers to join him online in his final journey in life. With a “raw and unplugged” approach, film director, Royston Tan lifted the shroud and fear of impending doom, to reveal intense emotions, love, care and hope in Abdooh’s fight for life – echoing the pain and struggle of many confronting end-of-life issues.
Abdooh, who passed away in November 06 after being featured on six episodes for the campaign, had said, “Truly in my heart, I love charity and want to help this project by sharing my story. Death is not something nice to talk about. Most people are scared about it, but everyone has to face it. We have to go on. I want to share about my sickness, pain and journey.”
The campaign drew passionate response from the media and the public. Writer and producer, Anita Kapoor surmised, “Many of today’s Singaporeans live in a cloud of pure make-believe … We act as if the spectre of disease, suffering and death will never darken our doorways ... Why are our sick and dying tucked away and forgotten? Why can’t we talk about it? Why are our elderly suffering? … this hospice campaign has thrown our big, bad secret into the open.”
While Anita’s stinging questions hit hard on some Singaporeans’ cold apathy, others were drawn by the campaign to give more, and to live life differently. Donations to the hospice cause increased. Others emailed or called to volunteer their service and their time. The campaign also inspired teachers to use the ads as educational material about sickness and dying for their students. Some people were drawn by Abdooh’s real life account and went out of their way to contact and personally encourage hospice patient him and his wife. Many responded on the campaign’s v-blog.
Through this campaign, the simple message of the passing of life has struck the hearts of many - the grieving, suffering and the living. To break the conspiracy of silence against the dying, we need you to speak up knowledgeably.
Now, will you? |
