SCCS raises over RM190,000 in Kuching GoBald campaign

KUCHING (July 1): The Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCS) raised over RM190,000 and shaved 204 heads during the Kuching leg of its flagship ‘GoBald’ campaign at AEON Mall Kuching yesterday.

This year’s event was held in connection with Cancer Survivors Month, with the campaign having recorded over RM700,000 so far.

Since its inception in 2009, GoBald has raised over RM11 million with the support of more than 10,000 participants across Malaysia.

SCCS president Mary Kiu highlighted the challenges, noting that 60 to 70 new childhood cancer cases were recorded in Sarawak annually, excluding remission and relapse cases.

She added that from the beginning of this year until June, RM630,000 had already been spent on medical aid alone.

“Even for adults, cancer treatment can be incredibly challenging. What more to say for these children; some barely a year old; some who took their first steps in the midst of cancer treatment; and some who spoke their first words in a hospital ward.

“Some barely understand what disease they have, nor can they fully express their pain,” said Kiu.

She said the message behind this year’s theme ‘Beacon of Hope’ emphasised the pivotal role played by the ordinary individuals as ‘agents of hope’ for children with cancer and its survivors.

Among the participants in the first shave were parents of a childhood cancer patient, Ng Kok Keong and Kho Lee San, along with paediatric haematologist and oncologist Dr Tan Wee Nee, and paediatric surgeon Dr Chin Yen Ming, both from Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).

Dr Tan, who learned about GoBald last year, had raised over RM31,000 in support of her patients.

“I want to feel how my patients feel. Some of our patients are teenagers who are at the age of where physical appearance is important to them, much like any of us.

“They don’t fear chemotherapy as much as the idea of going bald. I want to let them know that Dr Tan is accompanying you too,” she said.

GoBald is SCCS’s signature awareness and fundraising campaign and all donations raised contribute about 20 to 30 per cent of SCCS’s annual expenditure of almost RM2 million.

The essential support services provided by SCCS are medical and financial aid, accommodation, food, transportation for rural families, counselling session, recreational activities, and sponsoring medical equipment not provided in government hospitals.

Registration for satellite shaves remains open for businesses, organisations, and corporations wishing to partner with GoBald as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Interested parties can contact SCCS via 082-636276, or via [email protected].