Duke-NUS Showcases Centenarians' Life Stories

Duke-NUS Medical School has launched the SG100 exhibition, celebrating the lives of ten Singaporean centenarians. The exhibition showcases larger-than-life portraits and includes personal reflections on life and longevity.

The project interviewed ten individuals born between 1913 and 1916 from diverse backgrounds. The aim was to capture what contributes to happiness and what these individuals regard as important in life, offering lessons on longevity.

Participants emphasized themes of maintaining mental acuity, productivity, independence, and a positive outlook. The oldest, 103-year-old Mr Goh, expressed a desire to return to entrepreneurship, while Madam Tan still enjoyed specific foods. Family, skills, and friendships were cited as significant life experiences.

The exhibition was curated by Adlina Maulod and Normala Manap from Duke-NUS's Centre for Ageing Research and Education (CARE), in collaboration with photographer Zakaria Zainal. It coincided with an international conference on centenarian studies held at Duke-NUS and received support from the centenarians' families, the Ministry of Health, and the Silver Generation Office.