Women making a difference
Published on: Monday, January 05, 2015
2014 marked a caring year in which women from politicians to professionals, entrepreneurs and NGO leaders made a difference in the lives of the people from various perspectives.Leading the way for charity work was the Consort to the Head of State, Toh Puan Datuk Seri Panglima Hajah Norlidah bte Tan Sri Datuk R.M. Jasni who graciously went down to the ground on Mother's Day last year to lead the women in making a difference to society (with support from the menfolk of course).Together with Minister of Community Development & Consumer Affairs, Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry, Datuk Siti Sapoo Ahok, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Janet Chee, President of Kinabalu Pink Ribbon (KPR), Lucilla Pang and others, Toh Puan Norlidah sportingly took part in a cycling event to mark the occasion.
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She stayed on for hours lending her moral support and witnessing the fund-raising hair dyeing and head shaving events involving doctors, nurses and other professionals. Leading the way was Medical Officer Dr Vasanthi Selvaraju from the Sabah Women and Children's Hospital. Hana Sue Harun, daughter of current KPR President, Hjh Natrah Datuk Arif, stole the show with her sacrificial act which reaped more than RM11,000.President of the Palliative Care Association of KK (PCAKK), Margaret Lim, clinical oncologist Dr Flora Chong and others also raised several thousand dollars in aid of KPR's Outreach Breast Cancer Awareness Programme.The women's gesture did not just end there but sparked more interest, leading to more women coming forward to support KPR in the same manner.Retired civil servant Datuk Kim Chan, 72, parted with her crown of glory in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, raking in almost RM50,000 in support of KPR's proposed resource centre.
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It took place during a cycling activity, flagged off by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Ir. Edward Yong Oui Fah on the grounds of Zara's Boutique Hotel. Managing Director, Eliza Goh was the main sponsor of the event. Director-General of DBKK, Datuk Yeo Boon Hai also participated in the ride.The same month (October), Tawau's breast cancer survivor Christy Salazar succeeded in collecting about RM70,000 through pledges of support for her shaving act and with contributions from Tawau Member of Parliament, Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching and Tanjong Batu Assemblywoman, Datuk Hamisa Samat as well as the Rotary Club of Tawau and Maybank Tawau, among other sponsors.
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Meanwhile, Toh Puan Norlidah, who is also Patron to KPR, had a field day visiting the Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Oncology Centre (housed at the Sabah Women & Children's Hospital) and bringing cheer to more than 50 patients suffering from cancer, especially breast cancer.The Sabah Women Entrepreneurs & Professionals Association (Swepa) embarked on a major Swepa Barefoot Solar Project to bring light to 100 households at Kg Sonsogon Magandai in Kota Marudu, a district in the northern part of Sabah. Grandma Tarihing Masanim, 40, from the village is undergoing a six-month training course in solar engineering at the Barefoot College in Rajasthan, India. When she returns to Sabah in March this year, she will electrify the 100 homes in the village.Meanwhile, philanthropist Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen in her capacity as Managing Director of WSG Development Sdn Bhd contributed RM50,000 to Shareda Youth in aid of the CSR Programme for Sabah Society for the Blind projects. A mock cheque for the sum was presented to the Society's President, Datuk Rosalind Chew.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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