Global Flying Hospitals Medical Board Chair
Dr. William Tan, MBBS, PhD, MOH, MSc, MPhil (Hons), MHlthSc, ScM (Hons), MHSc, BSc, MRSNZ, PBM
Scientist and Medical Doctor, Olympic Wheelchair Athlete, Ultra Marathon Fundraiser, World Records' Holder
At the age of two Dr. William Tan was paralyzed from the waist down with Polio, but overcame this adversity. This NUS Alumnus majored in Biology and Psychology to pursue his dream to become a scientist and medical doctor. Holder of the First Class Honours in Physiology, this Harvard University Fullbright Scholar and Oxford University's Raffles Scholar also trained at the world-renowned May Clinic in the USA.
He is an international wheelchair marathon champion, competing in the 1988 Seoul Paralympics, the Commonwealth Games, the Asia-Pacific Games, the London and Boston Marathons. He realized that, "winning trophies or prize money should not be the aim, but a means to help people." He's devoted to charity fundraising. His ultra marathons include pushes accross the length of New Zealand, Singapore to Penang, Thailand to Singapore, Boston to New York to Washington DC, raising over $16 million. He was awarded Outstanding Young Person of the World (Humanitarian/Voluntary Leadership) from the Junior Chamber International, USA; the Commonwealth Youth Award for Excellence in Youth Work and the ASEAN Youth Award in 2000. |  Dr. William Tan |
In 2003, he received the Reader's Digest Inspiring Asian Award which "recognizes deserving individuals who must be able to demonstrate that they have made a difference, or are making a difference and are encouraging others to do so".
In 2007, Dr. Tan became the first person to undertake a wheelchair marathon race in Antarctica, the Arctic and 17 countries combined.
In 2007, Dr. Tan became the first person to undertake a wheelchair marathon race in Antarctica, the Arctic and 17 countries combined.
