Dolphin therapy for terminally ill at Sentosa's Underwater World

Hospice patients have fun day out at Sentosa's Underwater World

Most of the patients have been diagnosed by doctors as having only a year to live, so staff and volunteers at HCA Hospice Care often take them out on excursions.

On Wednesday, more than 30 patients spent the morning and a good half of the afternoon at Underwater World Singapore in Sentosa.

Among them was ovarian cancer patient Chong Ah Chiew, 74, who, with pants rolled above her knees, got to wade into the Dolphin Lagoon to meet pink dolphin Han.

'I was told she has a temper, but she was gentle and friendly with me. She did not even baulk when I went near,' said Madam Chong, grinning happily from the experience.