Last in a series. Read part one. “How are you feeling today, Sherry?” my director asked. We were about to rehearse for a play we’re working on. I’m still new to performing, and SMA makes me prone to fatigue, so before we start, she always checks on how…
Wandering the Lines — Sherry Toh
Sherry “Elisa” Toh (she/they) is a journalist who lives in sunny Singapore. Her diagnosis of SMA type II was in 1999 at 13 months old. Kyphoscoliosis and chronic neuropathy later developed as complications. As a hopeless romantic, her loves include fairy tales, tea, and gaming — the last being the primary focus of her work. She has bylines in PCGamesN, NME, and more. In 2023, her essay “Virtual Progress: A Disabled Journalist’s Thoughts on the Video Games Industry” was published in Singapore’s first printed disability studies anthology, “Not Without Us: Perspective on Disabilities and Inclusion in Singapore.” She writes in hopes of offering community and catharsis. Find her @sherlisass on social media.
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A stool. A chain. A person’s body. None of these things is what I’d usually call “art materials,” but that’s exactly how contemporary Singaporean artist Amanda Heng sees them. During a recent trip to the National Gallery Singapore, I discovered “Walking The Stool,” a 1999 performance by…
First in a series. Maybe it (sadly) goes without saying, maybe it doesn’t, but if you Google “spinal muscular atrophy actor,” you won’t find a single SMA patient with a long filmography filled with recognizable projects. You’ll find Alexa Dectis, the child actor turned entertainment lawyer and one…
“Time for your whirlwind 20s, babe!” When my best friend and fellow SMA News Today columnist, Brianna Albers, said that a month ago, I couldn’t have imagined how much I would feel her words. She’d said it in the context of me wanting to meet some (admittedly questionable)…
What do my doctors and dates have in common? It’s that I’ve asked most of them this question: “Am I the first person with SMA you’ve met?” Surprisingly, I’ve heard a few doctors tell me no. I may be the first adult SMA patient they’ve treated, but they’ve seen…
I once read that fear is the other side of the coin to excitement, pleasure, or comfort. Without any research into whether the statement is true or false (it’s true), I nodded and said, “That makes sense.” Why else would people seek out horror films, roller coasters, even kink?…
There’s nothing quite like beginning a new project. It’s like falling in love with someone: Your imagination takes you on flights of whimsy, you itch and ache to have your hands on it, and there’s a possibility it will consume your life. At least for a short while. But then,…
“My SMA will weed out all of the undeserving jerks on the dating scene for me,” I once thought. Reader, I was not at all correct. Oh, how naive I was in my early 20s. In my defense, I was happily committed to a relationship with my now…
Upon diagnosis, caregivers and SMA patients are often warned to watch the patient’s respiratory system. The weakening of this most basic function of the human body is the most common cause of death for people like myself. Hence, regular pulmonary exams are done, physiotherapists are called in to teach…
“Dear God, why did you not bless me with resting bitch face?” That was my prayer on May 23, 2025. I’d been up since 8 a.m. It was past 5 p.m., and I was exhausted from a pain management nerve ablation done that day. I was on my way home…
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” I used to hear my parents say. “Even if it’s free for you, someone else is paying for it.” From the moment I could comprehend the value of a single cent, my parents began drilling financial advice into my head. They wanted…
Spoiler alert: This column discusses the plot of the 2024 film “The Substance.” Hollywood was abuzz about Coralie Fargeat’s 2024 film “The Substance” when it arrived on the scene. It was a controversial contender for attention and awards. People seemed to either love it or hate it; audience…
Did you know dogs can be diagnosed with SMA? I did. As a child, I used to stare up at a news clipping of research about the condition in canines, which was pinned to the wall in the office of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Singapore) (MDAS). My…
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