Singhealth Nurses Toastmasters Club

When my Vice-President of Education, Vanessa Yong, asked me to speak at the Singhealth Nurses Toastmasters' Club, I went "Urgh!" Twenty years ago, I was hospitalised at the Singapore General Hospital after an ear surgery, and I was quite terrified of the stern looking nurses. Even the ones I met at the polyclinics also appeared prim and serious.

Hence it was a pleasant surprise when I found the nurses at the Singhealth TMC to be quite different. The President, Flora Yong, gave an impressive opening speech on humour with quotes from Abraham Lincoln. Their first speaker, Farzeeda, was entertaining, with no hint of shyness for someone doing her first project speech. Even more impressively, all the nurses did not once refer to their notes.... a feat for all public speakers. The second speaker, Cheah Le Le was also quite good and Chen Xiao Rong had all of us fooled with her topic, "My lover" who turned out to be her precious, little son.

It was quite a big crowd, and all of a sudden I felt very shy. Believe me, I would rather sit for 10 hours by my computer and whip up article after article than to stand for 6 to 7 minutes to make my speech! Although I was nervous, I tried to hide my nervousness by speaking loudly and clearly and at the beginning of my speech, I took shelter behind the lecturn. Gradually as I warmed up, I moved out of the lecturn. The crowd roared with laughter after laughter. Whew! As I went back to my seat, I could feel beads of perspiration breaking out and my blouse was drenched with sweat!

The guest speaker, Miss Abigail Chay, celebrity comedienne, made us laugh continuously for half an hour with her humour and antics. She was naturally hilarious! What a great gift from God!

Despite the butterflies in my stomach, I won the best speaker for prepared speech. My evaluator had commented that everything was excellent except for my body language which could be improved by my standing in front of the lecturn. I guess it was the humour in my speech that appealed most to the audience. Most people enjoy a good laugh.

At the end of the meeting, guests were invited to comment on the meeting. I told the audience that if we were sick, we would not mind being nursed by this group of fun-loving, humorous and entertaining nurses! It is amazing what Toastmasters can do to help people discover their potential and to overcome their inhibition and fear!

My eagle-eyed Vice President, Vanessa, had noticed I was more nervous than when I was delivering my previous speech in my own club. Now I understand why some members would not venture to speak in other clubs. Making a speech is already quite frightening but making a speech at unfamiliar terrain is even more scary.

Now readers have to really believe that I am actually shy by nature, and being the youngest and quietest in my family, I have to make a concerted effort to speak in public. Indeed I have come quite a long way from the first attempt at public speaking when I was in Secondary One. It was disastrous. I became tongue tied after "Ladies and Gentlemen". My teacher had to ask me to go back to my seat.!

I learn that the more I practise, the more confident I get. I remember my pastor once said, "Having courage does not mean we are not fearful; it means that despite the fear, we press on!"