70 child cancer cases in Sabah every year
Published on: Sunday, July 07, 2019
By: Cynthia D Baga
KOTA KINABALU: Some 70 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in Sabah, said State Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Frankie Poon.
He said based on recent statistics, the numbers are under-reported as there is still a lack of childhood cancer awareness.
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Based on the statistics, Poon said 43 children are diagnosed with cancer every single day around the world and 400 children in Malaysia are diagnosed with blood-related cancer every year.
“The three most common childhood cancers are leukaemia, brain cancer and lymphoma.
“3.34 per cent of these children will die within 30 years. Nineteen per cent will survive at least 30 years but suffer life-threatening or disabling chronic health conditions.
“Twenty-five per cent will survive at least 30 years but suffer mild or moderate chronic health conditions, while 22 per cent will live at least 30 years without any chronic health condition.
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“These rates can be reduced and cure rates could be much greater through early detection and awareness,” said Poon when launching Junior Chamber International (JCI) Kota Kinabalu’s second year flagship project “Go Botak 2019”, here, Saturday.
Poon hoped JCI KK will continue to hold the project and pledged support for it in any way he could to ensure its success.
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He said the project is to create awareness on childhood cancer as well as to help cancer-stricken children.
“As a community, we play a huge role too to fight childhood cancer.” Meanwhile, project organising chairperson Kimberly Lim said the objectives of the project are to create awareness of childhood cancer and also to produce children wigs by raising funds and inspire the community to donate their ponytails or shave their heads.
“This is to encourage the young cancer patients to regain their confidence to battle childhood cancer with a positive and fighting spirit, and to know that they are not alone in the fight.
“We want to raise awareness of childhood cancer by educating parents or anyone that childhood cancer patients need to pay more attention and need early detection.
“This project will end in September in conjunction with the childhood cancer awareness month.
“I am very positive that this project will create a sustainable impact in our community, as awareness and support for childhood cancer is still minimal,” said Lim during a press conference on the project, here, Saturday.
According to Lim, the minimum length to donate ponytail is 15cm and must be natural and untreated and it takes 35 to 40 donated ponytails to produce one children wig.
Lim said the ponytail donations may be made at collaborating saloons, namely Ar Saloon, Young Style Unisex Saloon, Turning Points, Hair Impressions, Mission Cut and G Cut.
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