Story Contributed by Swathi, Community Worker
In Ghim Moh, Angie was known for her many gifts – a talented chef, baker, seamstress, and a nurturing grandmother. Through Beyond’s Sew Can We and Bakers Beyond programmes, which provide seasonal income through sewing and baking projects, Angie applied her skills to create items that held meaning for her community. But as cancer began to reshape her life, hospital stays and treatments became part of her routine, pulling her away from her daily comforts.
Despite her illness, Angie’s spirit remained intact, resilient and unyielding.
During a recent hospital stay, some nurses encouraged her to rekindle her love for baking – a suggestion that seemed almost out-of-place, considering the hospital setting. She hadn’t measured out flour or felt the weight of a mixing spoon in months, but the idea sparked a flicker of joy she hadn’t felt in a long time. A quick call to her daughter later, Angie’s plan began to take shape. Soon after, her daughter arrived with her grandsons, carrying ingredients to bake brownies and a shared excitement in their eyes, ready to bring a taste of home to her hospital room.
In the modest pantry of the hospital, Angie became a teacher and creator once more.
With steady hands and a gentle voice, she patiently guided her daughter and grandsons through each step, making every action feel purposeful. But this was more than merely turning flour, cocoa powder, and sugar into a delicious confection. This was a shared experience that brought her family closer together.
Soon the rich aroma of the brownies began to drift tantalizingly through the hospital corridors, transforming the sterile, clinical ward into something warmer, more inviting. It felt like home, a quiet reminder that comfort and love could flourish in unexpected places.
In that moment, Angie was not defined by her illness. She was simply sharing something she loved with the people who mattered most. The baking session became a reclaiming of joy, a tangible memory her family would carry with them. It was a gentle yet powerful act of smiling in the face of hardship.
At Beyond, we often hear stories like Angie’s. They remind us that resilience doesn’t always shout in defiance – it sometimes whispers gently. It is found in moments like these, when loved ones gather, when ordinary actions become quiet acts of defiance against hardship, and when flour, cocoa powder, and sugar can fill even the harshest places with warmth.
In these moments, we earn life’s true “brownie points”—the small, yet powerful acts that reveal our shared humanity and strength.
*Not her real name