From 21 – 23 April 2009, our very own librarian, Dennis Kweh, went on a mission as he raced around Singapore on his state-of-the-art battery-powered wheelchair, to raise funds for charity.

Below is the interview of his experience, challenges and plans:

Adventure 200 1 Person, 1 Metre, 1 Dollar, 1 at a time…is all it takes

By Dennis Kweh, Wheelchair Adventurer

The big horn blew and I just zoomed ahead and said to myself, “Now, on the road for the next three days. Stay focused at all times.” I must say I was focusing on the path in front of me and managing this powerful machine carefully, overcoming road obstacles and not taking my eyes and concentration off at any time.

What are your exact thoughts at the starting line before setting off?

It was like a long preparation for something I’ve always wanted to do and finally the moment had arrived! All the encouraging speeches just before the flag off and being with my family, friends and supporters, it was a bit heady. I tried to calm myself as the flag off master gave the cue to be at the starting line. Did a quick look behind me to see where Ms Penny Low, MP for Punggol- Pasir Ris GRC was. She had sportingly agreed to join me on another motorised wheelchair for the flag off.

What were your difficulties during the course, both physical and mental?

One of the days, the hottest day of April, the temperature hit 35 degrees! This was hot enough to cook an egg! Being prepared for the hot weather, I wore light coloured t-shirts, applied sun block and wore a cap. These helped to make the journey abit more comfortable. I must say the first day was challenging as my escorts from the elite army division and I had to cover a distance of 92km. We reached Sembawang Bottle Tree Park at 11.00pm after being on the road for more than 10 hours at a stretch. Mentally, I was prepared as I let my feelings flow, not exactly taking in the passing scenes as I was concentrating on the next few metres ahead of me and travelling at a speed between 7-12 kmh, and taking in the experience moment-to-moment.

Which was the most challenging part?

Well I would say it had to be the last day or the third day. The footrest of the wheelchair just plonked off! I guessed the gruelling journey took a toil on the footrest. My escorts n improvised on the spot by using a nail found nearby and some nylon wires to put it back in place. Kudos to these great guys 🙂

Did you ever think about giving up during the course? What motivated you on?

Not at all. I mean this is premised on the spirit of adventure and doing a charity cause, the motivation is an end in itself. During the course, was there anything you craved for? I was well taken off by my escorts who ensured I was properly hydrated. A kind volunteer even cooked and brought us dinner throughout the journey. It was amazing as she did this totally out of her kindness and generosity. As for craving, well when I was passing through the long stretch of Lim Chu Kang and Neo Crescent, I did look out for durian trees in case we could find some fallen fruits. Being a durian lover, the local variety is the best. But no such luck!

What were your thoughts as you approached the finishing line? What were your thoughts after crossing?

When I was approaching the National Library building, I was told to drive very slowly so that colleagues and supporters could walk slowly in unity to SMU campus, the endpoint of the wheelchair marathon. It was ethereal. I could sense the spirit of friendship and camaraderie as we marched in one heartbeat to SMU. This was my exact feelings and thoughts at that time.

What do you most want to do now after completing the challenge? Any immediate or future plans?

Just to rest and catch up on sleep. I did think of some conceptual challenges ahead. This year’s Adventure200 was a land mission, maybe the future ones could be sea and air missions and later, perhaps go cross-borders. Well, many factors come into play: my health, sponsors and support to make future ones a reality just like the Adventure200 2009.

Lastly, here is a chance for you to say what you want to say to all who have been supporting you, ran beside you or cheered you on, and those who have donated generously.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone for all your support, encouragement and donations. It is heartwarming that civic society is very much alive and well as I experienced it. What I did is just a small part and it shows that coming together, a meaningful impact can be done for a charity cause. My take is we can be a catalyst to do something in our own unique ways to help somebody, one step at a time.

(Interview transcript extracted from the Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore’s Newsletter, Forget Me Not May 2009 issue)

Contributed by Dennis Kweh, National Library Board

Photo Credits: Sebastian Song, 2009