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As a SSAFA volunteer and fundraiser, Dr Thao Nguyen navigates medicine, music, and the military with compassion, commitment, and creativity. As a multi-faceted professional, her deep-seated passion for helping others fuels each of her roles as an Army Reservist, SSAFA branch volunteer, veterans’ health advocate, and singer-songwriter.
Her dedication to community growth stems from her extraordinary upbringing and approach to life, which focuses on service, support, and inspiration.
Thao's service for SSAFA also includes applying her musical talent. She recently released her original song 'BRAVE', inspired by SSAFA’s Standards, and was kind enough to discuss her experience as an Army reservist, GP, volunteer, and singer with us.
"My goal has always been to help people however I could," Thao explains, when asked about her story.
"I'm actually a Vietnamese refugee from the 1970s post-Vietnam war conflict. The nationality of the ship that rescued you took you to their country. A British ship rescued us, bringing us to the UK via Singapore, the refugee camp's location."
"For me, all I've ever really known is being British, and all my education has always been in the UK. All my friends and family live in the United Kingdom. Even though my ethnic culture is in another country, my roots are in the UK."
Shaped by her Catholic background, Thao developed a profound drive to make a difference at an early age. "I don't know whether it's weird or not, but I've always wanted to help people," she says. Her original aspiration to become a nun shifted as her academic excellence became pronounced, leading Thao to embrace a new vision: "When I got really good grades, I realised that my skill set could be put to better use. That's where I turned to medicine." Her desire to use her skills and talents to aid others led her on the journey to study medicine at university.
Enjoy what you do and like what you do
While studying to be a doctor, Thao found another way to serve and help people. She joined the University Officer Training Corps before transitioning to the Army Reserves in 2000. Today, she holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and serves as a medical officer.
Thao’s medical and military service run in parallel, reinforcing each other and fuelling her ambition to serve the armed forces community at home and overseas. As she says, "Anywhere the army sends people, they always need medical support." Her dual career has been intense, balancing her training and profession in medicine with military service, but her dedication to serving in the military is driven by the immense joy it brings her. "People always say, 'Why are you still in it?' It’s because I really enjoy it," she shares. "I always say, 'Enjoy what you do and like what you do.'"
Thao has served as a Regimental Officer, Unit Medical Officer, and Sub-Unit Commander. Currently, she holds a staff position in Aldershot, supporting medical plans for Regional Command. Her medical expertise has been vital in various deployments, including training exercises and a four-month tour in Kenya, providing essential medical support wherever needed.
Thao’s experience as a reservist is key to her sense of identity. As she describes, "The NHS is a different role that I play versus in the military, and both, in combination, make me the person that I am."
"The NHS side of things is where the caring and wanting to help people comes from, but I do enjoy the leadership element of the military: looking after the troops, commanding, even the administrative work!"
I believe in the things that SSAFA does
Thao’s medical roles in both the military and NHS afford her a rare perspective, as she is uniquely placed to understand the challenges faced by veterans and their families. After seeing the health challenges that service personnel and their families encounter, Thao chose to volunteer with her local SSAFA branch. "I believe in the things that SSAFA does, and I believe that the role could make a difference in someone else's life," she explains.
With Thao’s help, SSAFA Buckinghamshire is better able to serve its veterans community, a cause which she cares deeply about. "In the military culture, how we do things, what we say, and how we are with each other is completely different, and sometimes that can be lost when you leave the army. What we want to do is bring them back and let them know that, actually, even though you've left, you're still a part of the family. That's one of the messages that SSAFA wants as well: SSAFA, being the oldest tri-service military charity, is still here for you."
Thao’s belief in helping others, which she encourages everyone to do, is the foundation of her passion for volunteering: "Time is free. So, why wouldn't we give it? Even if it's just a day in your life, it will make a difference to somebody else, and, for me, that is the key: making a difference to someone else."
She delivers a clear message to those considering volunteering at SSAFA. "I would say go for it; it’s a really big community, and everyone is always willing to help."
"Because SSAFA is a community, we all get together, develop plans and ideas, and deliver care and support to the veterans. And it’s really nice to get to know some of the veterans as well: you can hear their stories. I like to hear people's stories about where they've come from and their experiences, and you learn quite a lot about them but also about yourself because you can do some self-reflection as well."
I've done a lot of military songs, just because I'm proud of being in the military
Beyond volunteering with her SSAFA branch, Thao also uses her talents as a singer-songwriter to raise funds and promote awareness of the charity's work. Recently, she released a song, ‘BRAVE,’ inspired by SSAFA’s Standards, which she performed at the 2023 SSAFA Christmas Carol Concert at the Guard’s Chapel at Wellington Barracks in London.
Thao has always had a musical inclination, playing instruments and performing from an early age. "I've always been musically inclined…I would develop different performances that I'd rope my sisters into doing and I'd give them little roles. We'd perform them in front of family and friends. So, it has always been there inside of me but, as you do your exams, as you go through medical school, the focus is to get that all done and I, kind of, lost track of what I really enjoyed doing."
Although life shifted Thao’s focus away from music, she returned to it as a form of healing and self-focus during a challenging period in her life six or seven years ago. "I went through quite a dark phase in my life which I had to get out of, and I thought, 'Actually, one way of getting out of it is to focus on myself and look at what I enjoy doing,' and I thought, “'Actually, I do enjoy singing.'"
Joining a choir reignited Thao’s passion for singing, leading her to pursue solo performances and vocal training. "I really enjoyed doing the choir stuff and I really enjoyed singing again," she recalls. Having rapidly advanced in her vocal exams, Thao’s vocal coach encouraged her to try writing her own music. Since then, Thao has written and released twenty original songs and three albums and often performs her music at charitable fundraising or community events, including for SSAFA.
In her music, Thao incorporates her first-hand experiences as a reservist and a doctor. "I've done a lot of military songs, just because I'm proud of being in the military, and I've done a lot of health songs because that's where my expertise comes in," she shares.
Her lyrics often focus on social issues, including mental health and homelessness, to share a message of hope. As she describes, "My mission in music is 'music to inspire.' What I'd like to do is inspire people to believe in themselves and believe that they can be more than they think they can be. I want to inspire people to believe that whatever situation you're in, there is a way out."
Thao drew inspiration from SSAFA for her recent single 'BRAVE', focusing on the message of not being alone and the support available to members of the armed forces community. ‘BRAVE’ is an acronym for the Standards for SSAFA employees and volunteers. Thao, who wrote the lyrics during a family holiday, collaborated with a musician to bring the song to life.
"It looks at the values and standards of SSAFA and what SSAFA is all about. The message is that you’re not alone out there, and there is help that people can give you," she describes. "SSAFA, the oldest tri-service military charity, is still here for you. And looking at my song, one of the lyrics is 'Everyday we'll be there for you, we'll carry your load, our promise for life.'"
For Thao, this captures the charity's unwavering dedication to the armed forces community.
Having another family in the SSAFA charity is always good
According to Thao, the essence of SSAFA—and what makes her proud to be a part of it—lives in its people. "I think, with anything, it's about the people that you work with because if the organisation, in terms of its people, isn't friendly, isn't welcoming, and doesn't have vision and direction, then it can be a really tough place to work. But with SSAFA, all the people and volunteers are great, and it's really inspiring."
Thao believes that volunteering not only supports the charity but also benefits the individual, fostering a sense of belonging. "It’s a really big community. There's always support out there, and everyone always says ‘’Yes’’ but it's just getting the resources to do whatever it is that we want to do. I would definitely, certainly, support people or advise people to volunteer and definitely volunteer for SSAFA."
Her experience with SSAFA is characterised by the camaraderie and laughter shared during meetings, united by a common goal to help others. "It's not just about you because you can't live by yourself. You can try, but it's not healthy to do so. So, having another family in the SSAFA charity is always good, and it's always fun to get together. Even in our meetings, we will have a laugh, and it's about having that laughter, enjoying what you do, and enjoying helping other people."
Thao strongly advocates for volunteering, underscoring the sense of community, support, and personal fulfilment it offers. She believes that the combined effort of every volunteer, each with their own skills, contributes to making SSAFA a welcoming place for veterans seeking support.
Everyone can contribute something. It makes a difference for someone else.
Thao's journey from a young, Vietnamese refugee to a respected UK medical professional, army reservist, singer-songwriter, and volunteer exemplifies determination, compassion, and the power of community support. As she says, "Everyone can contribute something. It makes a difference for someone else. I might not see that difference here and now, and I might never see that difference, but that doesn’t matter for me. What matters for me is that I have tried, and I have given what I can."
Thao's story celebrates the strength of the human spirit, the value of camaraderie, and the terrific potential within us all to give back to our communities. Her work, particularly with SSAFA, highlights the importance of supporting the armed forces community and creating a network of volunteers that changes lives. "I find it really inspiring that all these people are volunteering their time and energy to help and support other people. And, to me, that's what living is all about."
