The Founder
Rosemary Chng holds a degree in MSc (Botany), specialising in the conservation of taro plant genetic resources and tissue culture.
She combines her roles as a social activist and scientist, with a deep understanding of community healthcare and wellness issues gained from years of experience in the healthcare sector and social entrepreneurship. Rosemary's commitment to making a positive impact extends globally, from volunteering as a Science Teacher in Botswana to offering her services in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Timor Leste, East Java, Papua New Guinea, Sarawak, Mongolia, and Uganda.
She is also dedicated to charity work, including launching the annual President's Charity event from 2003 - 2007. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Arts Supporter and Patron of the Arts Award from the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts in 2007, as well as the Friend of the MCYS Award from the Ministry of Community Development, Youth, and Sports in the same year.
Inspired by her quest for wellness and her desire to empower individuals to take control of their health, Rosemary founded Elixir Botanica Pte Ltd in 2008. Her vision is to make natural resources and botanical products accessible to all, embodying the belief that "Life's beautiful, so live it!".
How it began
The Elixir Botanica story started in 2008, born out of an urgency to save my father.
His health had taken a dire turn in 2007 when, at the age of 73 and already grappling with diabetes, he suffered his second stroke. His medical history was a daunting list: a prior stroke, a heart attack, three angioplasties and two heart stents. The prognosis was grim; doctors had no medication to offer stroke patients like him, and we were told to prepare for the possible onset of dementia and Parkinson's disease if he survived.
As a life scientist and my passion for natural medicine, I was determined to do something. I tirelessly sought out a batch of specialized antioxidants, which I gave to my father. Remarkably, his health improved significantly. He regained his mental clarity, was discharged from the National Health Centre when he was 80 years old, and only required his diabetic medication. My father defied the odds, living a fulfilling life for another decade.
Encouraged by my mother, I established Elixir Botanica to extend this lifeline to others. It later proved crucial for my mother when she faced a breast cancer diagnosis. The supplements expedited her post-mastectomy recovery, and she remained cancer-free. Aside from a few high blood pressure pills, she, too, no longer depended on prescription medications.
Elixir Botanica proudly houses Singapore's largest collection of organic and wild-crafted single herb extracts and the widest range of Health Canada-licensed organic natural medicine for babies and children. Our adult health supplements feature best-in-class vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies, rooted in the latest naturopathic medicine and nutrition science.
Our mission is straightforward: to empower everyone to lead longer, healthier lives, possibly without dependence on prescription drugs and machines. We are dedicated to offering only the finest products and educating people about the safety and effectiveness of health supplements in Singapore and the region.
Today, 15 years later, I am really humbled that not only Elixir Botanica has grown from a small home business to an SME with four staff, shops, office, seminar facility and warehouses, serving more than a thousand customers.
The journey was not always easy, but I am very grateful to God for guiding me through the years and I am sure my mummy must be very proud and happy with me for listening to her good advice and now having the honour and blessings to partner many others on their health journeys as well.
Add life to your years. Not just years to your life.
A Testament to Resilience:
My Health Journey
With man, these things are impossible, but with God, all things are possible - Matthew 19:26
This truth has been evident throughout time, especially in the realm of healing. In our human strength, sickness and adversity can seem overwhelming. Doctors may deliver grim diagnoses, and the limitations of medicine may make recovery appear impossible. But God operates beyond human limits, and His power to heal knows no bounds.
I am living proof of this. In June, I suffered a stroke in my cerebellum—an event that could have altered my life forever. I was terrified, fully aware of the devastating impact a stroke could have on my mobility and independence. In that moment, I clung to life, pleading for help and praying for a miracle. And God, in His infinite mercy, heard my cry. Today, 4 months after my stroke, if I didn’t say I had a stroke in the brain, no one would ever imagine, as I am now perfectly normal. What seemed impossible—recovery from a stroke that could have left me severely impaired—became a testimony to the miraculous power of God.
In the hospital, teams of medical professionals cared for me: doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and dieticians. I underwent daily blood sugar tests and wore a heart monitor. Although the stroke was evident in brain scans, what the doctors observed in me—the person—was vastly different. My physical and mental functions were hardly affected, and the medical staff repeatedly commented on how strong I was. This may explain why it took nearly a week of multiple tests before the stroke was officially diagnosed after I was rushed to A&E by ambulance after suffering from severe nausea and retching (thinking all the time it was a case of bad food poisoning).
During that first week, however, I was very weak. I couldn’t get up, open my eyes, or eat. I lay quietly in bed, sustained only by intravenous fluids. In my helpless state, all I could do was pray. I focused entirely on Jesus and His power to heal. I believed with all my heart that He would restore me. I told God I didn’t want to die. There was so much I still wanted to do, including witnessing my eldest son’s wedding in August.
By the grace of God, my healing began. The relentless nausea and retching eased. I regained strength, began sipping cold water, and, after nearly a week in the hospital, I could finally sit up and open my eyes.
I was admitted on Saturday, June 8, and it wasn’t until Friday, June 14, after an MRI, that the stroke was detected. When the doctor informed me, I was initially in disbelief. I asked him to do something to fix it, but he explained there was no direct treatment for the stroke itself. They could only manage other factors like diabetes and cholesterol. So, I asked, “Then the healing comes when the body regenerates itself?” He agreed, and I declared, “By the grace of God, I believe I am healed, and my brain is regenerating.”
When I asked if it had been a minor stroke, the doctor said it wasn’t (at that time I was also not aware how serious the stroke was and the damage it could have caused. Simply put, I could have died). The specialist who saw me after the diagnosis insisted I be transferred to a stroke ward, where I could receive the intensive rehabilitation necessary to recover quickly.
Once there, I had to relearn how to walk, but in a short time, I was back on my feet. Physiotherapy was tough and crossing my daily mental challenges on what I can do was the toughest. But remarkably, I was discharged within a week, while many stroke patients typically stay for months in recovery.
What man deemed impossible became possible because of God. When human hands reach their limit, that’s when God steps in and shows that nothing is too difficult for Him. Healing is a manifestation of His love, and no matter the diagnosis, there is always hope in God.
God has given us an amazing body with an extraordinary ability to heal and regenerate. I now believe this wholeheartedly and have experienced it firsthand.
May all who read this be edified and receive the miraculous healing and regenerative ability of your body according to your needs (if you need it) too.
Agape,
Rosemary