ABOUT the CTO MISSION 2025 IN Singapore

Opening speech for the Paediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction Workshop Singapore, 1-2 December 2025

Good morning everyone,

I am Han Lim, and it is my great pleasure to welcome all of you to the Paediatric Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction Surgery Workshop with Visiting Experts.

First and foremost, we are deeply grateful to our donors of the Paediatric Bowel and Bladder Programme Fund, which has underwritten this entire event, enabling us to organise this workshop without any registration fee. The fund was started by a network of close friends, who, together with the Paediatrics Surgery team at KKH, wanted to do much more to help children with bowel and bladder conditions, both in Singapore and beyond. My sincere thanks also go to my department for their unwavering support in making this event possible.

I first met Marc in 2018 at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where I completed my fellowship. I still remember assisting him in a Swenson pull-through — my very first time seeing the procedure performed live. Earlier this year, I was fortunate to have a short attachment at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, where I met a truly comprehensive and inspiring team, including dedicated nurse practitioners who give their all to support children with colorectal conditions.

Through this philanthropic fund, we have also been able to bring together a team of nurses in KKH who are equally committed to caring for children with bowel management needs.

For this workshop, Marc has brought along an outstanding group of experts: Christina, Payam, Chris, Marieke, Nanci, and Emma. We also warmly welcome participants joining us from across the region — Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, India, and Hong Kong.

Over the next two days, we will have four live cases running concurrently across two operating theatres on Day 1, followed by a series of lectures and discussions led by our visiting experts covering a wide range of paediatric colorectal topics. We have also arranged a separate nursing track, recognising the vital role our nurses play.

As good stewards of the donated funds, our department is running this workshop entirely in-house. Please feel free to approach any of us if you have questions or need assistance at any point.

Lastly, I want to thank each of you for being here. I hope these two days will be a valuable opportunity for all of us to learn, share, and continue improving the care we provide to children.

With that, I would like to invite our Head of the Department of Paediatric Surgery, Dr Li Wei, to come on stage.

Thank you

Dr Ong Han Lim (MBBS, MRCS, FAMS)

Consultant
Department of Paediatric Surgery,
Duke-NUS Pelvic Floor Disorders Centre,
KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore

Clinical Assistant Professor,
Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore

Adjunct Senior Lecturer,
Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Singapore