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MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Member in the Spotlight For this issue’s Member in the Spotlight feature, we are pleased to feature Member, Professor David Stringer. What bought you to Singapore and The British Club? A Woman! I have only ever moved for better skiing or a woman. At Bart’s, I subspecialised with Irene, founder member British Club, ex-Cheltenham Ladies College and Oxford University. Not being available then, I fled to Canada but re-met during a Professorial tour of Australia and 3 weeks later moved to Singapore without a job. She contends I married her for British Club but I say she married me for Tanglin Club! We’re members of other clubs: Tanglin, Cricket, Island and Changi Sailing, but we use British Club most.
You have a splendid track record in the field of Radiology, what motivates you in developing such a passionate interest in the field? I am passionate about kids; Consultant at Great Ormond Street, London, Sick Kids, Toronto and BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, before Singapore. Clinical Director, NUH and NUS Professor; then Head at KK Women and Children’s Hospital and Professor at Duke – NUS and Professor in 4 Universities, so everyone calls me Prof. I wrote 7 textbooks and innumerable papers and, surprisingly to me, won every honour in my field, including Caffey Gold Medal. I retired 5 years ago but am Immediate Past President of the Asian Oceanic Society for Paediatric Radiology (AOSPR), covering Turkey to Korea to New Zealand, so I cannot rest. We set up the World Federation of Paediatric Imaging with the North and South American and European Societies, to improve kids care.
Since you have been in Singapore for more than a decade, where is your favourite hangout place in Singapore? Home with three large gorgeously friendly dogs, Hot Chocolate, Grand Marnier and Laphroaig, Burmese cat, with attitude, Brandy Alexander and a huge pig nosed Turtle - Miss Piggy, who ignores us, and miscellaneous others! A previous cat was Dom Pérignon, so you get the idea. We hangout with Actors because Irene, a Karate black belt, second Dan and proficient musician, was a model and actor in TV, Cinema and particularly theatre, in the 80’s and 90’s. Her brothers are well known actors, Lim Kay Tong and Lim Kay Siu and first cousin is multitalented pop star Dick Lee, the Simon Cowell of Singapore Idol.
Please share with us your favourite restaurant/s in Singapore. Local: Casa Roma, looks terrible, but food is of excellent quality and value. Best gnocchi pomodoro ever! We eat there every week. Friends: Yau Kui (Hokkien for “The Greedy”) who meet last Thursday of month. Fine dining: We are Commanderie de Bordeaux, so 4 courses with 12 wines of vertical or horizontal tasting, from the 70’s and 80’s. Irene is Officer of the KL branch of the Châine des Rotisseurs I am also Compagnie des Mousquetaires d’Armangac. Our leader, Capitaine Aymeri de Montesquiou d’Artagnan, is a direct descendant of d’Artagnan of Musketeer fame. It was not fiction! New Year’s Resolution to “Never eat on an empty stomach!”
We understand that you also have a passionate interest for skiing, how did you continue pursuing the interest while staying in the tropical Singapore? I skied Austria 55 years ago when skis were 225 cms, lace up boots loosened after first turn and bindings broke your leg rather than release. I am totally addicted. I ski wherever I go: Chile, New Zealand, Arizona, Arctic, Scotland, grass skiing Sussex Downs, even Snow City in Singapore. I am a trained off-piste guide (Val d’Isere) and trained Ski instructor (Whistler). I still have my Whistler place and go every year for 2 months.
Which are the places you went on your sail? Raced since 1980’s, but now cruise our 54 foot Bermuda rigged Cutter. Sailed Neptune Equator Regatta, Ambassadors cup (Third surprisingly) and the region. Routinely cruise South China Sea, Anambas, Tioman and Riau Islands, but NE Monsoon to Penang, Langkawi and Phuket. The winds are best then. Worst storms: force 9 (Anambas) and force 10 (Phuket ripping Staysail). Under water 10% of the time, as seas were so big.
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