Jeremy Tong – 2019 SG Silent Hero

1 September 2019 • 3 mins read

Jeremy Tong
Inspiring Youth Category Winner – 2019
Nominated by: –

At the age of 29, Jeremy Tong is the youngest Singaporean to attempt Mount Everest twice.
Despite failing in his first attempt on Mount Everest in 2017, he pushed forward and succeeded in 2019. But conquering Everest was more than just a matter of personal accomplishment.

In 2005, Jeremy’s uncle was diagnosed with stage 3 nose cancer. This had a huge impact on him. “I checked up on the treatments and discovered that the costs involved can be a huge financial burden,” he said. “The treatment itself can be extremely painful and risky.

In fact, Jeremy draws parallels between fighting cancer and climbing a mountain.

““Up there, people sometimes just give up on life because it is a really different world..At more than 8,000 metres high, oxygen levels are extremely low. Without oxygen you cannot survive for five minutes.”
Jeremy once described of the challenges at high altitudes.

There are other dangers as well. Frostbites, hypothermia, high-speed winds, fatigue from exerting yourself that causes you to lose focus, and crowded passageways all come with the territory. Jeremy further elaborated: “Your fingers start to freeze, and your toes start to become cold. And you need to clip and unclip yourself to a safety rope, but you’re fumbling because you have mittens on.”

Jeremy wanted to use his endeavours to help cancer patients. He learnt about the Singapore Cancer Society and the Children’s Cancer Foundation and “all the good things that they do for these amazingly strong fighters.”

He decided then to use his efforts to raise funds for cancer, through the fundraising platform give.asia. The funds will be used to pay for children’s hospital stays, chemotherapy, medicine costs, occupational therapy and others.

In 2017, Jeremy raised $13,000 for the Singapore Cancer Society. This year, to date, he has raised $13,550 for the Children’s Cancer Foundation through his Mount Everest effort as well as a 42km walk that he organised on 6 July 2019. Braving the rain, participants trekked all the way from Jurong Lake Gardens to Coney Island Park.

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Jeremy Tong was nominated for the “Inspiring Youth” Category for the SSH Awards 2019. He was the selected winner and received award from Guest of Honour: Mr. Desmond Lee – Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister in the Ministry of National Development, at Shangri-La Hotel on 31st August 2019.

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Other 2019 Silent Heroes

Dr. Bhavani Sriram – Hearts of Humanity Category Winner
Aminur Rasyid Mohamed Anwar – Inspiring Youth Category Winner
Yoke Mooi, Rowena Leong – Pioneer of Promise Category Winner
Foo Say Thye – Oustanding Adult Category Winner

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Singapore Silent Heroes

The Silent Heroes Award Presentation is an annual ceremony organised by CAS – Civilians Association (Singapore). The aim of the award is to recognise ordinary, everyday Singaporeans and permanent residents for their extraordinary humanity and compassion towards people, causes, and missions.