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Taking the plunge into an entirely different career, it is an arduous decision that I made as it is an entire change of expectations and environment.

I am Sarah Zheng, a newly joined counsellor at 365 Cancer Prevention Society (365CPS). I have just graduated from Master of Counselling. Coming from a different field and embarking into counselling marks a new chapter in my life. I was in the Fast-moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector previously, and venturing into an unfamiliar sector in SSA (Social Service Agency) from where I was requires great conviction.

The embarkment into this career was made with a big step of faith. My father passed away due to a sudden heart attack and this painful episode made me rethink what are the upmost priorities at this stage of my life. During this dark period of my life, I felt life was meaningless and hollow. It was through support from my religion and family, and encouragements from friends that pulled me through as I was going through a period of grief. With deliberate consideration, I decided to embark in counselling, a career that I find meaningful and purposeful in making differences in the lives of others.

However, reality soon set in when I realized that I have no relevant experience nor qualifications which is vital for a career switch. This prompted me to take up a two years Master course in Counselling, which also marks the start of my counselling journey. During my internship, I worked with clients from diverse backgrounds and with different presenting issues. Despite the diversity of issues and backgrounds, it is heartening how counselling helped each individual to gain control and navigate their lives with greater assurance.

What inspired me to join 365CPS is their passion and commitment to support every cancer survivor. From cancer diagnosis to battling the cancer itself, it is indeed a difficult journey and strong emotional support is paramount in this tough journey of each cancer survivor.

Nonetheless, each job comes with its own set of challenges. To me, it is a steep learning curve as I come from a completely different background. But what makes it significant in 365CPS is that colleagues have been helpful, providing good guidance and practical advices. Though I joined the society during the heightened alert period and I have had no chance to interact with other colleagues in office so far, support is easily available when I encounter any challenges at work.

In retrospect, the core values of 365CPS (Compassion, Honour, Integrity, Excellence, Stewardship) resonate with my own principals in committing towards the direction of my journey as a helping professional. I believe that as I continue to serve the community, I will develop not just professionally, but personally as well.