To Cindy Sim, her brother has always been more than his diagnosis. 

As a five-year-old, she watched Sim Kah Lim, older by a year, turn the stairwell of their HDB flat into vivid murals. As a teen, he landed a job hand-painting cinema billboards, and dreamt of having his own art exhibition. Yet, despite his undeniable talent, his diagnosis of schizophrenia at age 15 reduced him to a clinical label, leaving Cindy deeply disappointed. “Schizophrenia is just a term,” she insists. “To me, he is just talkative – unless he’s painting, because then he’s 100 per cent focused.”

Her frustration grew with each rejection from art galleries unable – or unwilling – to see past the label. 

The turning point came in 2018, when Temasek staff reached out with a proposition. They wanted to showcase Kah Lim’s work in One of Us, an exhibition series by Temasek’s staff-led volunteer initiative, T-Touch, aimed at challenging the stigma that so often surrounds mental health. The exhibition would give Kah Lim a platform to display his talent and share his story. 

The initiative resonated deeply with Cindy, amplifying a cause she had long advocated for. 

“Temasek gave Kah Lim a chance to be seen,” she says. “It wasn’t just about hanging his work in a gallery. They made him part of a story that says having a mental health challenge doesn’t make you less capable or valuable.”

Breaking barriers

Kah Lim’s talent emerged early. “Even before he started going to school, he was drawing,” Cindy recalls. “He would draw on the floor, on the walls, on anything. He could see something once and then replicate it perfectly from memory.” Relatives who recognised his talent were soon asking him to draw intricate dragons and Chinese Gods, she laughs.  

But even as his artistic abilities flourished, his mental health struggles increased. His schizophrenia diagnosis at 15 marked the beginning of a life spent in and out of the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

​​Cindy stepped in as his protector, a role that soon evolved into fierce advocacy. “I thought to myself, what is there to hide? There are artists who have mental health issues, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t do extraordinary things. This is who he is, and I’m proud of him.”  

In a community where mental illness is often swept under the rug, Cindy’s determination became a quiet but persistent force: she refused to allow Kah Lim’s diagnosis to define – or limit – him. 

Supporting his passion, however, was not easy. She juggled multiple jobs to supply him with paper, ink, and brushes​​. ​Eventually, she transitioned into a career in medical sales, but her biggest challenge remained helping others see Kah Lim’s talent. “Our family always believed in his potential, but back then, schizophrenia was so misunderstood. It was a tough journey for us.” 

One of Us

When Temasek first approached Cindy, she was cautiously optimistic. One of Us not only offered visibility for Kah Lim, but also promised broader conversations about mental health. “Temasek supported us by saying, why not let him try,” Cindy recalls. 

The six-week-long exhibition, held in Temasek’s lobby and later at Temasek Shophouse, grew to include more artists, including Daren Lauchengco and Faith Wong, who also struggled with mental health challenges. Their work spanned paintings, ink illustrations and modelmaking, with narratives framed in the context of the artists’ lived experiences.

The recognition Kah Lim received from his work was transformative. His art began to sell, gaining traction and respect in spaces that had previously been closed to him. Once confined to family walls, his work now hangs in prestigious venues like Goshen Art Gallery, Ministry of Health (MOH), and Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay.  “The first thing Kah Lim did when his paintings sold was go to an art shop and buy even more supplies,” Cindy laughs.   

As Kah Lim’s confidence grew, so did Cindy’s role, from sister and advocate to artist manager, facilitating collaborations and commissions on his behalf. One notable commission came from former President Halimah Yacob for her Chinese New Year postcard: a mixed-media painting of the Istana’s front gate. “He spotted it while we were walking around [the Istana], and painted it from memory when he got home,” Cindy remembers. 

A canvas for change 

Today, Kah Lim continues to receive commissions, including from the Istana. But Cindy’s vision goes beyond Kah Lim’s success. “I hope for a future where mental health conditions like schizophrenia are understood and accepted, and where people make space for those living with such challenges”.  

The journey, she believes, has already begun.  

Through initiatives like One of Us, Temasek is making strides in shifting societal perceptions, showing that a person’s diagnosis is just one part of their story, she says. “You have to start somewhere and Temasek is in the position to make an impact.”  

“When they start something, others are sure to follow. And as more people step in, mental illness won’t be a label anymore – it will just be another part of life.”