KUCHING: Every year about 50 to 70 children in Sarawak are diagnosed with cancer.
Though childhood cancer is considered rare, its impact is devastating, said President of the Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCS), Mary Kiu.
And this year the SCCS is bracing for its highest-ever expenditure on the heels of an unprecedented surge in medical aid requests.
“The society anticipates spending over RM1.5 million on medical aid in 2025, the highest amount in its history,” she said, making an urgent call for support.
Over the years, Kiu has witnessed both the courage of young cancer patients and the crushing financial burdens their families face.
“Beyond the emotional toll, the financial burden of certain life-saving treatments can reach hundreds of thousands of ringgit – far beyond the means of most families,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.
She said SCCS is committed to covering these costs as it always has, but the challenge lies in sustainability given that medical expenses are unpredictable and can escalate overnight.
In May, SCCS sponsored RM496,974 for one Ariyana’s immunotherapy treatment at Hospital Pakar Kanak-kanak (HPKK), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
For Ariyana and her family, this nearly half-a-million-ringgit support offered not just treatment, but renewed hope.
The society is now preparing to fund medical sponsorships for four more children, including a 6-year-old patient diagnosed with relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML); a 5-year-old with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL); a 1-year-old with metastatic neuroblastoma; and a 6-year-old with metastatic neuroblastoma.
Together, these sponsorships add up to nearly RM1 million in additional medical costs this year.
“These figures are not abstract numbers,” Kiu said, adding, “each ringgit represents a child’s fight for survival, a family’s hope, and a community’s shared responsibility.”
With Childhood Cancer Awareness Month approaching in September, SCCS is therefore calling on the public and corporate partners to step forward.
The society encourages individuals to sign up as monthly donors through the Heart of Gold Monthly Donation Programme, collaborate through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, or contribute through one-time donations.
“Every contribution, no matter the size, helps ensure that when the next child needs urgent treatment, SCCS can say ‘yes’ without hesitation,” Kiu said.
Those who wish to donate may visit https://sccs.org.my/get-involved/donate/ to sign up as a monthly donor under the Heart of Gold Monthly Donation Programme or to make a one-off contribution.
Members of the public or corporations who are interested in donating or engaging in CSR projects can also contact the SCCS team at 082-686276, via Facebook @sccsmy or email at cm1@sccs.ongmy.
