Say ‘Thank you, Mom’ with the Special Olympics

This Mother’s Day, Procter & Gamble is commemorating the 6th iteration of its global campaign, Thank You, Mom, in partnership with NTUC FairPrice with a carnival organized especially for Special Olympics athletes and their mothers.

This year’s theme, Because of You, I Can, celebrates a mother’s role as her children’s first and greatest enabler — the one who sees her children’s true potential and helps them become who they are. This event puts the spotlight on mothers of Special Olympics athletes, who give their all in overcoming challenges and struggles to enable their children to excel in their chosen sport and, in the process, become a true inspiration for others.

To showcase P&G’s strong commitment to the Special Olympics community and lead the way in being a force for good, P&G and NTUC FairPrice also presented a S$20,000 check to Special Olympics Singapore.

During this fun-filled afternoon, Special Olympics athletes, their mothers and distinguished guests including Singapore Member of Parliament and Mayor of Central District, Ms Denise Phua, mingled with each other and snacked on fun-fair goodies, including candy floss and ice cream, as they indulged in nostalgic carnival games such as toss the ring and basketball arcade.

Mr Nitin Darbari, Commercial Director, Malaysia, Singapore, Global Development Markets (Asia), Vietnam at P&G, said, “P&G is honored to partner with NTUC FairPrice in paying tribute to the sacrifices and challenges that all mothers make to give only the best to their children. As part of our Thank You, Mom campaign, today’s carnival recognizes the essential contribution that mothers make in the community to bringing up their children to achieve their full potential. We are especially in awe of mothers of special needs children, who overcome even more hurdles than most to enable their young Special Olympics athletes to excel in their chosen sport.”

Guest of Honor, Ms Denise Phua, Mayor of Central Singapore District and a disability rights activist, said, “Mothers are one of the key building blocks of society and the pillar of strength in many families. Just as children with special needs face greater life challenges compared to their peers, mothers of special needs children often show exceptional grit in overcoming untold struggles to support their children in accessing equal opportunities and maximizing their potential.”

Mr Tng Ah Yiam, Deputy CEO and Head of Products, NTUC FairPrice, added, “NTUC FairPrice is honored to continue working with P&G — our long-time strategic and community partner — to support the Thank You, Mom campaign, an initiative that aims to pay special tribute to all mothers, including the mothers of our Special Olympians. Mothers are the unsung heroes in our families who inspire us to be the best of ourselves; through this campaign, we take the time to collectively show our appreciation to all mothers in our community.”

During the one-day carnival, an exclusive and touching short film produced with Special Olympics athletes was also screened. In the video, Special Olympics athletes Shaman Pandian S/O Jeyabalan (400m athletics, silver), Siti Nurhamizah Binte Hamzah (singles bowling, silver), Priyadarshani D/O Jeyabalan (400m athletics, bronze), Siti Nurhamizah Binte Hamzah (doubles bowling, bronze), and Siau Ek Jin (50m breaststroke, bronze) pay tribute to their mothers who have defied the odds to enable them to excel in their sports. This video will also be shown on P&G’s social media and in FairPrice stores.

Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang, President of Special Olympics Singapore, said, “Our Special Olympics athletes would not have been able to strive as hard and achieve as much without the unwavering support of their mothers. On Mother’s Day, we would like to shine the spotlight on the women who do not hesitate in making sacrifices so that their children may triumph in the face of adversity. We are indebted to their unconditional love, which enables our athletes to continually reach for excellence.”

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Photo Credit: Special Olympics