Day 20 - Singapore - Table Tennis for Good

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Sunil Raghavan, a Singapore based IT Professional and a Table Tennis enthusiast, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015. He has a 6-year-old son diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome. Neither of these conditions has a cure. The diagnosis altered Sunil as a person. “My outlook towards the journey of life changed and my motive to live got much more meaningful,” says Sunil.

Table Tennis has helped both Sunil and his son improve their respective conditions. Sunil’s experience with table tennis and how it had improved his life was something he wanted to share. Together with the help of a few friends, they formed Table Tennis for Good (TT4G) Limited.

Playing table tennis—even at an absolute beginner level—develops muscle endurance, hand-eye coordination, motor skills, cognitive performance, memory, upper body strength and has many other benefits. TT4G has developed a series of programs focused on older adults, with resources and materials available to get people of any ability playing.

“We are all responsible to contribute towards our community in our own little ways,” says Sunil.

The Concept

Table tennis is good for your health and can positively impact neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Creating a holistic experience—from warmup to play to socializing—helps older adults participate in their community and maintain mental, emotional and physical wellness. 

The Result

TT4G was evolved out of validation of years of research of table tennis and its health benefits. The programs were developed in partnership with a Singaporean deep neuroscience company, who have digital brain scan solutions and are the digital neuroscience partners of the National Neuroscience Institute. Government support was secured to maximize outreach to Singapore’s dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s communities.

Custom versions of the table tennis game were created to enable absolute beginners to participate and improve. These customized programs focus on simplified gameplay while incorporating meditation techniques to engage participants with breathing and visualization practices. This approach is designed to improve cognitive capacity when combined with physical movement. To learn more, visit the TT4G website at www.tt4good.com/home and subscribe to their YouTube channel. 

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