'Suffering helps to nourish my life': Taiwanese singer Aaron Yan

The coronavirus pandemic has created a major upheaval in all of our lives - more so for some.

Which is why Taiwanese singer-actor Aaron Yan hopes the upcoming Singapore Ren Ci Hospital Online Charity Show this Saturday (Sept 19) will cheer up Singaporeans and encourage them to lend a hand to those grappling with the double whammy of ailing health and dried-up income.

In an exclusive interview, he shared with AsiaOne his unusual perception of hard times.

[[nid:501841]]"I gradually learnt not to run away from painful times, and realised that suffering helps to nourish my life. When you experience difficulties again, you might even thank god for giving you these challenges," said the 34-year-old former member of boy band Fahrenheit.

When asked to share some advice, he said: "If you give up, you would have absolutely nothing left. If you choose to run away or neglect these difficulties, they won't just disappear. It's only when you regard them as part and parcel of life and work on overcoming them that you realise there are always clear skies beyond."

Besides Aaron, the Ren Ci fundraising show will also feature other singers from Singapore and Taiwan. The live show will be split between the two countries, with Jeff Chang, David Tao, Huang Pin-yuan, and Li E-jun appearing in the Taiwan broadcast hosted by Alex Niu and Ellen Chu.

For the local broadcast, hosts Marcus Chin and Lin Youyi will be joined by Joanna Dong, a cappella group MICappella, Arthur Choo, and Dave Fu.

For Aaron, the reason why he believes so strongly in doing charity is not just because the giver is more blessed than the receiver. Rather, he hopes that people experiencing difficulties will be able to leave their hardships behind and figure out their own way of facing and overcoming them.

He added: "For people who have experienced their fair share of difficulties, if you can, think back on those tough times and whether you had the fortune of meeting certain people or lucky circumstances that helped you to smoothly overcome your problems. So if you are able to, become the person who gives a helping hand to those who need it."

Ren Ci hopes to raise $500,000 through the charity concert and tax-deductible receipts will be available for donations over $100 made before, during, or after the completion of the event.

The organisation was started in 1994 with the primary mission of providing affordable medical, nursing, and rehabilitative care services to serve the needy elderly regardless of background, race and religion. Today, Ren Ci operates a community hospital, two nursing homes, and three senior care centres. Donations can be made here.

Catch the Singapore Ren Ci Hospital Online Charity Show this Saturday Sept 19 at 8pm, streamed live on AsiaOne's Facebook and YouTube pages!

kwokkarpeng@asiaone.com