Charity project gets RM73,000 boost

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Clapam members and medical teams join CAH-M officials and staff members, donors, project organisers as well as the patients and their families in a group photo.

MIRI: The much-awaited 18th edition of the Cleft Lips and Palate Association of Malaysia (Clapam)’s charity cleft lip and palate corrective surgery project this year has been given a financial boost of over RM73,000.

Project organising chairman Dr Philip Raja, who is paediatric consultant at Columbia Asia Hospital-Miri (CAH-M), said the bulk of the donation came from Prudential Assurance Malaysia, which donated RM20,000, followed by the host hospital CAH-M, philanthropist Jenny Van Luk-Wee and an anonymous donor – each of them contributed RM10,000.

Among other individuals and group donors were the Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin, John Austin/Jenny S Richards and the Petroleum Women Association (PWPM).

The presentation of the donations was held at CAH-M yesterday in the presence of all the registered 14 patients who were accompanied by their parents and guardians. Clapam member and renowned plastic surgeon from Pantai Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Kim Tan received the donations for the charity project, which he mooted and established here in 2004.

Among those present were Pantai Hospital’s anaesthesiologist Dr Joseph Manavalan, CAH-Miri regional (East Malaysia) general manager Yeoh Kim Looi and Clapam president Zainal Azhar Ahmad.

Dr Philip, in thanking all donors and supporters, said the project is sustainable due to strong public cooperation including those from the medical team headed by Dr Kim, as well as the members of the media who generated public awareness of the project.

“On average, 45,000 births are reported in Sarawak annually and out of that, 70 to 80 are babies born with cleft lips and palates.

“There are many factors that contribute to children growing up with cleft palates – ranging from poverty as well as the lack of specialists and manpower, especially plastic surgeons, to perform corrective procedures on them.

“Such situation still prevails today and it is very sad. Even today, we have a patient who is 34 years old. We hope that the public would continue to support the charity project so that many would benefit from it,” he said.

Dr Philip added CAH-M as co-organiser also held fundraising activities for the project, besides providing the operation venue and facilities as well as other necessary assistance for patients. According to him, all expenses are paid for needy patients and accompanying family members including transportation, lodging and food for one week.

Dr Kim concurred with Dr Philip, adding that through strong public support, his medical team and CAH-M had been able to carry out the project over the past 13 years, benefitting 450 patients across Sarawak so far.