To create, we must first destroy
Several years back, my dad died after an agonizing nine-day stay in the hospital. Apparently, his cancer had returned and metastasized. I was blindsided, crushed by helplessness and totally reliant on my elder brother to make all the medical decisions.
I was forced to ask myself hard questions: Why didn’t any of us know he was in such pain? What could I have done to prevent his death or at least extend his life? Why don’t I know more about taking care of my parents’ health?
Then, a while later, my mom was diagnosed with dementia. In the place of the shocked grief that filled me amid my dad’s death came sadness. It was overwhelming at first, but I found out soon enough that it wasn’t going to get me anywhere.
Determined to not be the mass of helplessness I was with my dad’s situation, I decided to equip myself with all the knowledge I could get my hands on. I remember scrambling around for information and resources in the Singapore context — sometimes confused, often impatient, always anxious.
That’s when I toyed with the idea of starting a local health-content platform to provide easy access to local information and support for the conditions that people would have to grapple with, either for our family or ourselves, now or later on in life.
The spirit was willing but the mind, not so much
I really believed there was a gap to be filled. The intention was pure but, unfortunately, the mind was consumed by apprehension and fear. Where to start? Which topic to start with? What kind of content? How to get the content? What about funding?
What I needed was the knowledge and the skills to guide me. When I saw that the Entrepreneurial Journalism Creators Program (EJCP) was accepting applications, I knew instinctively that the program would be what I needed to take me further.
From amazing, generous lecturers/industry players and my assigned mentor (Jeff Mignon), who has been selfless in sharing his science-based learnings, and in the company of inspiring journalists who humbled me with their accomplishments and their projects created for the greater good, I picked up knowledge and techniques about how to start a content venture and diverse ways to go about it. That phrase about not knowing what you don’t know? That was me before the EJCP — but no longer.
The premise of D-Care
My original idea was to set up a health content website in Singapore, covering a broad spectrum of topics. Reaching for the stars is great but, obviously, I had no idea what I was thinking.
Over the course of the 100-day program and mentoring sessions, my concept went through a shake-up in the best of ways, starting with the process of destroying in order to create something better. Baby steps meant taking on one topic to start — instead of spreading myself one million ways — building it up, and then taking on another subject.
So, I chose dementia as the topic to start my venture, which is currently in the ideation phase. It is called D-Care, or Dementia Care.
Picking dementia to be the first subject to focus on was not difficult: I know exactly what it’s like to feel unsure and lost, wishing that local knowledge were more easily available.
My intention with D-Care is to do what I can for others who are in a similar position or seeking preventive measures — so that they don’t have to go through the angst that I did.
That’s the personal motivation driving D-Care.
On a nationwide level, the numbers speak for a country that ranks among the world’s most rapidly ageing societies.
In the midst of reworking my concept, the EJCP also brought me fresh perspectives in the areas of target audiences, opportunities, content, content dissemination, community engagement and revenue generation.
What’s ahead
My value proposition is (thank you, EJCP’s Ariel Zirulnick!):
My support-focused platform will help the current and potential dementia-care community in Singapore by providing easy access to useful and relatable information shaped by a hybrid of global sources and local relevancy so that it can achieve a better quality of life and enhance its inclusivity within the country.
As I continue to lay the groundwork for D-Care, I have broken down my value proposition into the following to serve as my North Star for now:
1. Dementia is a difficult and complex condition. I believe that every person living with dementia deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and compassion, and with the right resources and support for them and their family, they can live meaningful and fulfilling lives.
2. I recognize that there is a significant need for dementia-care information and resources, and I am committed to filling this gap.
3. My mission is to create high-quality content designed for dementia sufferers, their families, their caregivers and their healthcare providers.
4. I am committed to empowering people to share their knowledge, perspectives and stories.
5. My content will include:
a. the latest research, evidence-based practices and stories. I will work closely with experts in the field to ensure that the content is accurate, up-to-date and relevant.
b. practical tips, strategies and tools that people can use in their daily lives to manage the challenges of dementia.
c. human-interest stories and pointers to emphasize kindness and cultivate a compassionate community as dementia can be lonely and isolating.
d. information that is inclusive and diverse. People with dementia and their families come from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds. I will work to ensure that our resources are culturally sensitive, pertinent and relatable to a wide range of audiences.
6. My content will be readily accessible to everyone in the dementia-care community, regardless of their financial situation. I will strive to make my resources available at low or preferably no cost, without compromising quality and integrity.
7. I believe that the best content platforms are built on the foundation of community, and will encourage dialogue and solicit feedback and ideas on how to better serve their needs.
8. I will work on connecting the various groups related to dementia that are already existing to form greater cohesion within the community, and establish collaboration opportunities where possible.
In terms of actionables, I’m working towards:
1. Identifying a need: Conduct research to identify unmet needs or gaps in the existing dementia-care community by speaking with caregivers, healthcare professionals, dementia patients and their families, and researchers to gain insight into their experiences.
2. Developing a business plan: Create a detailed plan that outlines my target market/s, competition, revenue streams, and marketing strategy.
3. Assembling a team: Build a team with diverse skills and expertise who can help me to develop and market my product.
4. Seeking funding: Suss out funding opportunities as a means of financial backing.
5. Partnering with experts: Collaborating with experts in the field to ensure my product is evidence-based and effective.
6. Testing and refining: Continuously test and refine my product based on feedback from and dialogue with users.
I’d be the first to admit that I’ve drawn out lofty guidances and ambitious goals. They are a starting point. The entire process will be nothing short of challenging, but I believe the same pool of people who need D-Care would also want to be involved in shaping D-Care. We’re ready to take on the big problem of dementia in tiny Singapore.
If you have any comments, ideas, want to chat, and/or are interested in working together, I would love to hear from you, thank you!!! lynchanwc@gmail.com
