KUCHING
22 MAY 2023
Sarawak’s first Childhood Cancer International (CCI) Asia Conference was successfully launched on Saturday, 20 May 2023, to progress talks on “Bridging the Gaps, Better Care and More Cures” while mobilising more support for children and families affected by childhood cancer in Sarawak and Asia.
The opening ceremony, held at The Waterfront Hotel in Kuching, was officiated by Sarawak’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Dato Sri Professor Dr. Sim Kui Hian.
He was joined by President of Childhood Cancer International, João Bragança; Business Events Sarawak’s Deputy General Manager for Business Development and Research, Anedia Kahar; Childhood Cancer International Asia Chairman, Benson Pau; Technical Officer (Management of Noncommunicable Diseases), WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Dr Elick Narayan; President of the Malaysian Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology (MASPHO), Dr. Teh Kok Hoi; Honorary Advisor to Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society, Datuk Lorna Enan Muloon; and President of Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society, Rodney Wong.
The two-day conference which happened from 20 to 21 May 2023 for the first time in Malaysia, was organised by Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCS) in collaboration with CCI Asia and targets to explore how childhood cancer organisations and support groups in Asia can work together to advance greater access of care and support to children and families affected by childhood cancer.
Supported by Business Events Sarawak, the conference received an overwhelming registration and turnout of more than 120 leaders and subject matter experts of the childhood cancer cause, medical team, families, patients and survivors from across 16 countries, including Lebanon, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines and Japan.
Rodney Wong, President of SCCS and the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, in his opening remarks said that the conference is part of the non-profit organisation’s initiatives in creating a greater platform for Sarawak to gain better understanding of childhood cancer and learn from the most experienced organisations and support groups in Asia.
“We hope to deep dive into how the different stakeholders and support groups can mobilise their support to advance cross-border collaborations towards meeting childhood cancer care equity. This includes best practices sharing to grow innovative solutions to better serve, support and assist childhood cancer families in Sarawak,” he added.
Highlighted topics on Day 1 explored new approaches in paediatric palliative care and pain management of children with cancer, as well as how to better engage communities to support childhood cancer programmes. President of MASPHO, Dr. Teh Kok Hoi also delivered a keynote on the progress and challenges of treatment in Malaysia.
Day 2 saw sessions on stress management therapy, nutrition initiatives and real-life sharing from Sarawak parents, siblings and survivors on their cancer-fighting journey and the impacts of childhood cancer on family and marital relationships.
Benson Pau, CCI Asia Chairman congratulated the organising team for a well-thought-out programme and highlighted the importance of purposeful collaboration in bridging the gaps of childhood cancer to progress greater access of care in Asia.
“There is no one path to advancing better care and more cures for our childhood cancer patients, but rather it requires a confluence of objectives through purposeful partnerships with diverse stakeholders. Everyone can contribute to ensuring care equity by working together and bringing their own strengths to the table as policy makers, medical leaders or support groups,” he concluded.
This is the fifteenth CCI Asia Conference held across Asia, conceptualised carefully as part of CCI’s change initiatives to catalyse actions and transform childhood cancer within the Asia region.
