Singaporeans who love to dine and shop will soon find a new reason to further indulge in their favourite past time. A new discount voucher booklet, which will be on sale soon, offers shoppers and diners savings of more than $200, but it will also allow its purchaser to contribute towards a life-saving cause.

The discount voucher booklets, which will cost only $5, is part of SingHealth Foundation’s three-month campaign to raise funds for biomedical research. Named "Savemoney Savelives", the campaign aims to raise $500,000 to fund various biomedical research projects which will help to find new cures and deliver better healthcare to the community.

Every person in Singapore has benefited from the results of biomedical research in one way or another. The discovery of insulin for treating diabetes, the development of modern anesthesia, the discovery of blood groups and antibiotics and the sequencing of the human genome are among the major research milestones that have changed our lives forever. Yet, there are thousands more ways that are yet to be discovered.

Funds raised from this three-month effort will therefore be channeled to research in the fields of cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, childhood hereditary disorders and neurosciences, which represent a fraction of the growing health concerns in Singapore. These biomedical research projects are carried out by SingHealth and its nine healthcare institutions – Changi General Hospital, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, National Cancer Centre, National Dental Centre, National Heart Centre, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, and SingHealth Polyclinics.

"’Savemoney Savelives’ provides ordinary Singaporeans with the opportunity to do their part in making lives better for everyone. Their contribution and support towards biomedical research will go a long way. The outcomes of today’s research activities will benefit generations to come," said Dr Kwa Chong Teck, Director, SingHealth Foundation.

The "Savemoney Savelives" discount voucher booklets offers savings at eateries Olio, The Rice Table, Secret Recipe, Delifrance, Polar Puffs and Cakes and Pure Eddiction; discounts for beauty and nail treatments at The Good Earth/Nail Spas; discounts at health and fitness outlet World of Sports; a two-week membership and a free fitness assessment at California Fitness; and savings at Sembawang Music Centre. Each voucher is valid till 30 June 2005.

The booklets will go on sale on 21 January 2005 at World of Sports outlets island-wide (except Seiyu Bishan, Takashimaya and Ang Mo Kio outlets). The tickets can also be purchased at Kopitiam at the Singapore General Hospital and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The sale of the booklets will end on 30 April 2005.