Kiu volunteering at a roadshow to raise awareness about childhood cancer, and more importantly, funds.
WITH medical aid requests from young cancer patients in Sarawak reaching unprecedented levels, the urgency for public donations has never been as dire as now.
The Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCS) expected to spend more than RM1.5mil on medical aid this year – the highest in its history.
Its president Mary Kiu, in a statement, said each year, around 50 to 70 children in Sarawak are diagnosed with cancer.
“While childhood cancer is considered rare, its impact is devastating,” she said.
Beyond the emotional toll, the financial burden of certain treatments can run into hundreds of thousands of ringgit, far beyond the reach of most families.
Kiu, who began her journey with SCCS in 2016 as a volunteer before being elected president in 2024, has seen first-hand the struggles faced by families coping with a cancer diagnosis.
She said SCCS has always committed itself to covering medical costs, but the sustainability of this support was now under threat.
In May, it paid RM496,974 for immunotherapy treatment for a young patient named Ariyana, who is undergoing care at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Children’s Specialist Hospital.
The sponsorship offered not only treatment but also renewed hope for the child and her family.
The society is now preparing to sponsor four more children – a six-year-old with relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia, a five-year-old with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and two children aged one and six with metastatic neuroblastoma.
Together, their treatment costs are expected to reach close to RM1mil this year alone.
“These figures are not just statistics.
“Each ringgit represents a child’s fight for survival, a family’s hope and a community’s shared responsibility.
“But the reality is that medical costs are unpredictable and can escalate overnight,” Kiu said.
With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, SCCS is intensifying its appeal to the public and corporate sector.
The society is encouraging individuals to sign up as monthly donors under its Heart of Gold Monthly Donation Programme and collaboration through corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Donations can be made online at sccs.org.my/get-involved/donate/ or contact the society at 082-686 276, via Facebook @sccsmy or e-mail em1@sccs.org.my for details.
