Google doodle Singapore celebrates the life of Dr Maggie Lim, a Singaporean physician, professor, and public health official.
In this article, you’ll read:
- Who was Dr. Maggie Lim
- Dr. Maggie Lim’s promising contribution in Singapore health care
- Dr. Patricia Lin, reflects on her mother’s life, legacy, and today’s Doodle
Who was Dr Maggie Lim?
Maggie Lim, née Tan, was born in January 1913 in Singapore into a well-known family. She was known to be the first young woman, while still a schoolgirl, and a second Singaporean to win the prestigious Queen’s Scholarship in the 45 years of the award’s history.
On this same day in 2014, March 14, Dr. Maggie Lim was posthumously inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame.
Back in 1929, Dr. Maggie Lim entered the prestigious and all-male Raffles Institution and won the Queen’s Scholarship the following year. It all happened after she decided to start her studies at Raffles Girls’ school, where she earned a record six distinctions in her Senior Cambridge examinations.
Dr. Maggie Lim was able to make history by winning the scholarship. After winning, she attended the London School of Medicine for Women; it is one of the training hospitals in London that exclusively trained women.
Dr. Maggie Lim has always been dedicated to her studies; that is why she was able to acquire a medical degree in the large city of London. Therefore, back in 1939, she became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of London.
Working for the Singaporean community
In the year 1940, Dr. Maggie Lim went back home to Singapore and decided to serve the Singaporean community with a specialisation in Maternity and child health. She aimed to extend her help in establishing a system of specialised clinics across Singapore.
More than two decades have passed; in the year 1963, Dr. Maggie Lim became the head of the Ministry of Health’s Maternity and Child Welfare Department as she contributed her experience from a lifetime of fieldwork.
It happened before Dr. Lim decided to retire from her position in teaching epidemiology and public health at the University of Hawaii for the remainder of her career.
Dr. Maggie Lim’s promising contribution to Singapore health care
Did you know that Dr. Maggie Lim took part in World War II? During World War II, Dr. Lim was one of the camp physicians at Endau Settlement in Johor, intending to support Malayan Peoples’ Anti-Japanese Army.
She became an honour to her country, Singapore, as she became an obstetrician and public health official in the country after World War II.
Back then, Dr. Lim was able to work for the Singapore Municipal Health Department at the Prinsep Street Infant Welfare Clinic. Her job was specifically promoting birth control awareness, addressing childhood infectious diseases, and growing maternal and child clinic access.
Furthermore, Dr. Maggie Lim became the honorary medical officer of the Singapore Family Planning Association back in 1949. Lastly, in 1963, Dr. Lim became the head of the maternal and child welfare department in the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Patricia Lin, reflects on her mother’s life, legacy, and today’s Doodle
Google doodle expressed its gratitude to the late Dr. Maggie Lim family as they participated and agreed to have a partnership on this project. Dr. Patricia Lin, the daughter of Dr. Maggie Lim, reflects on her mother’s life and legacy.
According to her,
“My mother Maggie Lim was a woman ahead of her time, a trailblazer who understood that the well being of any nation begins with the release of women from subjugation: the subjugation of ignorance, ill health, impoverishment, and the inability to regulate her own fertility. In this regard the biggest gift my mother made to the world was that she was a forerunner of the women of generations to come.”
Image source: Google
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