Rick
My name is Rick and I’m currently a master’s student.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I have lived with Tourette’s Syndrome for the most part of my life, along with ADHD. Learning is a challenge for me, as my attention span is about 30 minutes at best. Compared to my peers I definitely have to put more time and effort into learning. Given my learning difficulties, I also have to make certain sacrifices in life to achieve the things that I want, such as spending less time on social events.
I started out my career working for the Health Promotion Board, where I got involved in procurement and community-based health outreach events, such as the ongoing mall workouts. Then I moved on to do medical research and compliance-related work at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health at QUT (Queensland University of Technology) in Brisbane, Australia.
What are your plans for the future or after graduation?
I don’t plan too much into the future as it may give me unnecessary stress. I may either return to the healthcare sector or maybe venture into a new field that is not too far-fetched from my studies, such as sports sciences or pharmacy.
What makes you excited and get out of bed every day? What is your passion?
I do look forward to the simple stuff that I can get to enjoy upon waking up, such as my morning coffee, the food that I planned to eat as well as games or sports activities.
I am a competitive badminton player in both the Single and Mixed doubles categories. Back in my teenage years, I was trained by Mr. Robert Han, who was an ex-national badminton player who represented Singapore at the international Thomas Cup badminton tournament, in 1981 and 1986.
I have been competing over the past 20 years and I have decided to make my competitions in the Oceania region (Australia & NZ) my final ones because I plan to retire from competitive play in 2025. This is due to all my accumulated injuries over the years, as well as I feel that it’s been long enough already, and I may have different priorities in life after I finish my post-grad studies. Currently, I am partially sponsored by AceSports Singapore, which is an official distributor of the Apacs badminton brand in Singapore.
Let’s rewind a bit to your younger days. What do you remember about your childhood? What was your childhood dream?
This is a tricky question for me because I don’t look back on life and prefer to live in the moment and the future. Similar to most people, my childhood comprises of both good and bad memories, but I am really grateful for all the friendships forged since I was in Primary School. My aspirations back in primary school were the same as most other kids, such as becoming a doctor, police, or lawyer.
What were your schooling years like? Tell us about some highlights or good memories, as well as low points or difficulties that you have faced.
I was fortunate enough to have found good friends in life. Most of my teachers back in school are also very understanding and encouraging towards me. I had a huge communication barrier with my parents, especially my father. He cannot seem to understand me, and when I was a child, I was more introverted and had difficulty expressing myself. When I was young, my father never knew how much badminton meant to me.
Because of that, I had to spend time and effort training myself instead. And it’s also why I am still playing badminton competitively overseas like a semi-pro player, despite being 30 years old already. I lost many sporting opportunities in my younger days. Hence, I am going all out despite my busy schedule as a master’s student to make the most out of my remaining sporting years before I retire from competitive play.
Tell us about the time when you first realized you have Tourette’s Syndrome and ADHD.
I was officially diagnosed back in 2009 by a neurologist at Singapore General Hospital. I felt rather blank and empty.
“It hit me hard to know that I have a condition that I have to live with for the rest of my life, but at the same time, I felt a sense of closure to finally knowing what was wrong with me.”
What challenges or difficulties have you faced as a result of your learning differences? What or who helped you overcome these challenges?
Group work and presentations for me have always been challenging because my tics affect my speech. My counsellors and back in Serangoon Junior College and Nanyang Technological University Singapore have helped me greatly, by providing me with listening ears as well as life advice. My parents did as well after they accepted my condition.
“I attribute most of my current achievements to myself and my own strengths which allow me to overcome all the hardships that came my way in life.”
Looking back, what other kinds of support or help do you think would have helped you?
I think young children need to be taught about learning differences so that by the next generation, there will be less stigma about learning differences, and people gain a greater level of understanding and empathy about learning differences.
When you tell others about your learning difference, how do people usually react?
Most of the people whom I have met were very understanding. Because I am not the only person who has Tourette’s Syndrome. Famous singers such as Billie Eilish suffers from Tourette’s too! In many cases, I am not the first person with tics whom they have met.
What do you think is a common misconception or misunderstanding others have about people with your learning differences?
People thought that I was mentally challenged, but I am actually quite brilliant because tics made my brain more hyperactive instead of slowing it down. I am able to process things in my mind faster than many people.
What would you tell your younger self?
“Everything that you worry about will work out eventually, somehow. Be brave and continue to move forward in life confidently. Have more faith in your own skills and abilities.”
What message would you give to others?
Kindness and empathy go a long way. Always remember that whatever goes around comes around.
How can organizations or schools build a more inclusive environment for people with learning differences?
We can start by giving people with learning differences an equal opportunity to learn and maximize their own talents. Teachers and employers should also be encouraged to go for training that will allow them to have an idea about how to work together with people who have learning differences.
What are your best hopes or dreams for the future?
When I come back from Australia, on top of my day job, I would use my own skills and experience to run a badminton academy that focuses more on nurturing paralympic badminton players. This is because I feel that the Paralympians in Singapore actually have the potential to compete in the global scene but are currently lacking opportunities to do so in Singapore.
