To raise awareness and to provide education, counselling and support to people with diabetes, their families and the community in order to empower them to lead a healthy and productive life.
To provide service to people with diabetes and others interested in diabetes. To undertake activities that promote the general well-being of people with diabetes or are at risk of diabetes. To strive to remove prejudice and ignorance concerning diabetes.
The Passion of One
The idea of forming an organisation to reach out to and help diabetes patients began stirring in the mind of Dr Frederick Tan Bock Yam more than 40 years ago. His interest in diabetes developed when he had to treat patients with diabetes at the Singapore General Hospital, where he was attached to after graduation. In those days, patients had poor knowledge of their condition or how to treat their diabetes. Dr Tan’s postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom led him to the work with two eminent endocrinologists – the late Professor Sir Derrick Dunlop at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland and the late Professor Sir Russell Fraser at the Hammersmith Postgraduate School of Medicine, London, England. It was during this time that he learned about the programmes of the British Diabetic Association, which further sparked his interest in diabetes. Inspired by the values of generosity and compassion of the pioneer philanthropist Tan Tock Seng, to whom Dr Tan is a direct descendant, he wanted to do something for the sick. Coupled with his passion for supporting people with diabetes and educating people about its serious complications, Dr Tan founded the Diabetic Society of Singapore (DSS) on 25 September 1971.
Outreach to Many
The earliest educational meetings and self-care courses were held at the conference room of Alexandra Hospital until 1974. The Society was temporarily housed in a room rented from The Singapore Council of Social Service from February 1976 until 1993. In 1993, DSS moved to its headquarter to Ang Mo Kio Community Hospital. On February 22, 1998, a satellite centre, the DSS Sembawang-Hong Kah Diabetes Education and Care Centre, was officially opened at the Hong Kah West Community Club. In September 2006, a spanking new centre – more aptly named South-West Diabetes and Education Care Centre – was unveiled. In 2002, a second centre was set up in another strategic location at Boon Keng Road.
Strength to Strength
In 1977, DSS acquired full membership in the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Western Pacific Region. The Society was able to send representatives to meetings held every three years in different cities since 1976. In 1999, DSS was elected the secretariat of the IDF-Western Pacific Region. In line with the IDF, the Society has observed World Diabetes Day annually since 1991 with talks, lectures and exhibitions for members as well as the public. In 2017, the society was renamed Diabetes Singapore (DS) to reflect its growing role as the voice of diabetes in Singapore.
| President | Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran |
| Executive Director | Mr Satyaprakash Tiwari |
| Vice-President | Dr Kevin Tan Eng Kiat |
| Vice-President | Dr Bee Yong Mong |
| Honorary Secretary | Mr Satwant Singh |
| Asst. Hon. Secretary | Dr Daphne Gardner Su-Lyn |
| Honorary Treasurer | Mr Jason Kwek |
| Asst. Hon. Treasurer | Mr Steven Seow Chun Yann |
| Committee Member | Ms Juliana Lim Bee Yoke |
| Committee Member | Ms Maurine Lam |
| Committee Member | Ms Aslena Bte Hussain |
| Committee Member | Dr Ester Yeoh Chai Kheng |
| Executive Director | Mr Satyaprakash Tiwari |
| Key Team Members | Mr Joseph Edwards |
| Key Team Members | Ms Rose Tan |
| Key Team Members | Ms Anni Lam |
| Key Team Members | Ms Jacqueline Choo Ming Jiao |
| Key Team Members | Ms Norashikin Taha |
| Key Team Members | Ms Shirley Ong |
| Key Team Members | Ms Cindy Chee |
| Key Team Members | Ms Zahara Bakar |
| Key Team Members | Ms Janet Ng |
| Key Team Members | Mr Teo Hung Khiang |
| Key Team Members | Mr Yap Kwok Ying |
| Key Team Members | Ms Agnes Loh |
| Key Team Members | Ms Eka Qashrina |
| Key Team Members | Mr Keith Koh Wei De |
| Key Team Members | Mr Vicgneshwara Ravidhran |
| Key Team Members | Mr Mohammad Nazri Bin Abdul Nazir |