ENABLE-SG (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends for Singapore) as a proactive palliative care model: Evaluation and implementation preparation
ENABLE-SG (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends for Singapore) is a proactive early palliative care programme designed to support patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers in developing self-management skills to cope with serious illness. The programme is grounded in the U.S. based ENABLE model, which has demonstrated improvements in quality of life, mood, and survival rates among participants.
Recognising the importance of cultural and contextual fit, our research team adapted the ENABLE-SG model for the Singapore population, with our pilot study confirming its acceptability and feasibility in the local setting. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the ENABLE-SG model among patients who have recently received an advanced cancer diagnosis and their caregivers, and to explore ways to improve its implementation in Singapore.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Yang Meijuan Grace
Associate Professor, Duke-NUS Medical School
Senior Consultant, National Cancer Centre Singapore
Study Team
- Dr. Tan Shao Weng Daniel, Senior Consultant/ Head, Clinical Trials & Epidemiological Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Dr. Tan Jing Ying Tira, Senior Consultant/ Deputy Head, Clinical Trials & Epidemiological Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Dr. Irene Teo Eng Ai, Principal Psychologist, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Dr. Huang Yiqing, Senior Consultant, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore
- Professor Cheung Yinbun, Duke-NUS Medical School
- Dr. Apphia Tan Jia Qi, Research Fellow, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Dr. Ke Yu, Research Fellow, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Foo Qun Zhen Cherylyn, Senior Research Coordinator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Ng Hiv Choo Jess, Senior Research Coordinator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Eve Seraphina Low Qing Yi, Research Coordinator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Goh Xue Xin, Research Coordinator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Nur Nasriqka Binte Mohamed Anand, Research Coordinator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Lee Si Hui, Research Coordinator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Goh Xue Xin, Research Coordinator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Zhang Lifen, Senior Research Coordinator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Tan Mien Lin Justina, Senior Assistant Director, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Mr. Tey Kai Ze Sherwin, Associate Psychologist, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Xu Zhi Zhen Susan, Senior Nurse Clinician (APN), National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Mr. Lee Ang Yun, Nurse Clinician (APN), National University Cancer Institute, Singapore
- Mrs. Natesan Neela, Nurse Clinician, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Kok Hui Scen Cherry, Senior Staff Nurse, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Ms. Zhou Siqin, Senior Biostatistician, National Cancer Centre Singapore
- Mr. Ahmad Zhafran Syafiq, Case Management Officer, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore
Publications
- Ke Y, Cheung YB, Bakitas M, et al. ENABLE-SG (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends for Singapore) as a proactive palliative care model: protocol for a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation randomized wait-list controlled trial. BMC Palliat Care. 2024;23:29. DOI: 10.1186/s12904-024-01353-2 (JIF: 3.0)
Presentations
16th Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Conference 2025
- Patient and caregiver perspectives of an early palliative care intervention (ENABLE-SG) for advanced cancer: A qualitative study
- Exploring the Fit and Function of Health Coaching in Supporting Cancer Patients in Singapore: A Case Series Analysis
Singapore Health & Biomedical Congress (SHBC) 2025
- First reflections of ENABLE-SG (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends) (Singapore), an early palliative program for patients with advanced cancer and caregivers
Singapore Palliative Care Conference, April 2026
- Quality of life, mental well-being and patterns of coping among family caregivers of newly diagnosed cancer patients
- Coping strategies among patients recently diagnosed with advanced cancer: A descriptive study
- Understanding patients' experiences undergoing an early palliative care intervention (ENABLE-SG) for advanced cancer: A qualitative study
- Prevalence and Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in patients with Advanced Cancer
- Profiling palliative care needs at the time of an advanced cancer diagnosis: targets for early action
- Translation and cultural adaptation of ENABLE-SG for the Malay population in Singapore
- A Glimpse into healthcare providers perspective of a proactive palliative care program
5th Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer (SCPSC), July 2026
- Patient and caregiver experience with ENABLE-SG (Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends, Singapore)
Media Mentions
An in-person collaboration visit with the original creators of the ENABLE programme — Professor Marie Bakitas and Associate Professor Nick Odom from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) — was held in April 2026. The visit provided an opportunity to share progress on ENABLE-SG, exchange implementation insights, and strengthen the ongoing research partnership.