Mrs Lee Kuan Yew was discharged from Ward 78 Singapore General Hospital on 26 November 2003 after she recovered from her left-side weakness.

She is now back to nearly all her usual routine daily activities, although the defect in her left visual field has yet to recover. She has been reading get-well notes and cards from friends and well-wishers, and arranged for replies to be sent.

Both SM and Mrs Lee are touched by the get-well wishes and prayers offered by members of the public.

She turned 83 on 21 December 2003 and celebrated her birthday with her family.

Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew expresses his sincere and grateful thanks to all the nurses and other staff of Ward 78 for their care and dedication, and to the Allied Health Division, SGH, the Rehabilitative Services Department, Changi General Hospital for their extensive rehabilitation programmes, the Chief Operating Officer, Singapore General Hospital.

They especially thank the team of doctors, Dr Lee Kim En, Professor Fock Kwong Ming, Associate Professor Fong Kok Yong, Dr Au Wing Lok, Dr Chumpon Chan, and Dr Jarnail Singh of Civil Aviation Medical Board who gave valuable advice on the precautions needed to fly a stroke patient for 13 hours and was on standby throughout the flight.

They wish to express their gratitude to the dedicated team of physio-, occupational- and speech-therapists whose enthusiasm, cheerfulness and skills helped her to walk, eat, bathe, swim and do most of her daily chores by herself, within two months of her stroke:

Sheela Thomas, Chong Hwei Chi, Dawn Tan May Leng, Leila Ilmami Binte Nasron, Natalie Chew Jin Lin, Valerie Lim Puay Cheng, Susan Goh Siew Heok, Sonya Selvinder Kaur Gill and Adelene Yap Lai Fong.

Source: Press Secretary to Senior Minister 21 Dec 2003