Madam Mandeline Yap, a Singaporean mother in her forties, was diagnosed with rectal cancer last year after her early symptoms were initially attributed to a urinary tract infection and then a bacterial infection. [1]
Yap said she was stunned by the diagnosis and moved quickly to understand her coverage. “I was completely shocked when I heard the news. I felt very sad and kept asking myself, ‘Why me?’” she said. [1]
She then called her Prudential financial representative, Melvin Mah, to ask about her PRUShield and PruExtra plans. Yap said: “I was sad, but my immediate thought was that I needed to act fast and solve the problem. The first thing I did was call Melvin to get his advice.” [1]
PRUShield is an Integrated Shield Plan that complements MediShield Life, while PruExtra is a supplementary plan that adds to PRUShield for broader healthcare coverage. [1]
The case comes as a 2025 Prudential-commissioned Patient Voices Singapore survey of 1,024 adults found that 8 in 10 Singaporeans delayed medical care to avoid burdening family and missing work, even though Singapore has broad healthcare access and financing schemes. [1]
Yap first experienced symptoms in early 2025, when she was hospitalized for a bacterial infection before the cancer was found months later. [1]
The survey, conducted in 2025, points to a gap between access and action among adults in Singapore, where many still put off care despite available support. [1]
