Handling 611 heart cases over 35 years
Published on: Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: 2016 is an extremely busy year for the Society of Sabah Heart Fund (SOSHF) as it is planning to celebrate the 35th anniversary of its foundation in September, which will fall on World Heart Day.At the Society's 35th Annual General Meeting on Saturday, its President Datuk Christine Vanhouten said apart from lining up activities to mark the occasion, including a major fund-raising dinner, SOSHF will also draw up a programme in conjunction with the annual Welfare Month in the later part of the year."We will continue to collaborate with the Korea Group in sending our heart patients for corrective surgery," she said.
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Vanhouten said the Society will pursue the pressing need for suitable land pertaining to the building of the proposed SOSHF Halfway Home for Heart Patients in the vicinity of the Sabah Women's and Children's Hospital in Likas. "Time is running out. We have to re-visit the land issue this year. Actually, we don't need a big piece of land for the project. We are waiting for an appointment to see the new Mayor in the hope of resolving this matter once and for all," she said.Lahad Datu Water Supply Sdn Bhd (LDWS) made a formal pledge to help build the halfway home (in memory of MBE Peter Mole) at the SOSHF 30th Anniversary Celebration in October 2011 on condition that the Society secure the land for the purpose.
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According to Vanhouten, she together with Vice-President Datuk William Chai and Honorary Secretary Eva Susau had paid a courtesy call on Dato' Steven Tan of LDWS on Janaury 27, 2015. "In principle, LDWS has not changed their stand on putting up the halfway home," she said.
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Meanwhile, Chai suggested that a membership drive be initiated to boost the Society's membership strength.At the AGM, Susau reported that some 611 heart patients from Sabah have been sent for treatment as of December 31, 2015.The breakdown is as follows : - Patients to Kuala Lumpur (1981-2015) – 472- Bucheon Sejong Hospital, Korea (2007-2015) – 120- Korea (Sponsored by Lions Club of KK Host (2012&2014) – 4- Penang Adventist Hospital (2009-2012) – 15Susau also reiterated that all donations from the public are solely spent on patients' correct heart surgeries, and never for administrative purposes. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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