VIRTUAL TOUR
2011
23 OctUCSI UNIVERSITY GOES PINK OF HEALTH
Kuala Lumpur, 23rd October 2011 - UCSI University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences recently organised a Community Health Campaign in conjunction with the Pink October month and the University’s 25th anniversary celebrations. The Campaign took place at Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu 9, Hulu Langat, Suntex City. The main aim of this campaign, themed ‘Go Pink of Health’ aims to give back to the community using the accumulated resources and knowledge of the Faculty to educate, as well as to advise and support men and women to practice healthier lifestyles and seek medical help when diagnosed with a chronic disease, such as breast cancer.
The statistics of Breast Cancer in Malaysia show that one out of 18 people is diagnosed with breast cancer, with 50% at stage I and II, and another 50% at stage III and IV. Cancer of the breast is currently the most common cancer among women in Asia. In a few countries in the SEA Region, it is only second in occurrence to cancer of the uterine cervix. Breast cancer is related to high-calorie diets, lack of exercise and reproductive factors. Early detection with extensive screening and modern therapy has great potential to reduce mortality from this disease.
Dato’ Dr Haji Mohamed Ibrahim bin Hj. Abdul Wahid, the President of the Malaysian Oncological Society and the Medical Director of Beacon International Specialist Centre said many people have the wrong perception about Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy and therefore they are afraid to see the doctor.
“It is our responsibility to educate the public regarding the importance of early detection and proper treatment available,” he said.
“Although advanced breast cancer cannot be cured, treatment allows patients to manage their disease, enabling them to lead better quality and prolonged lives. Thus the Malaysia Oncological Society (MOS) is also taking effort to control the issue by creating awareness and gaining support from the public,” he added.
The Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Dr Peh Suat-Cheng, also reiterated the importance of early detection and extended her gratitude to the faculty staff and students for upholding the University’s third mission in giving back to the society.
“To all my dedicated teachers, you have done so well in imparting the value of reaching out and caring for the community in our young and bright doctors and nurses of the future,” she said.
“To my young and ever so eager students, know that you have done something good for the people. This knowledge of goodness you have within you, will forever bring you strength,” she further added.
Amongst some of the highlights of this campaign were the aerobic exercise, wushu demonstration and the ‘Pink-A-Thon’, a walkathon organised by the faculty to raise funds for the community. The patrons of the Campaign had the opportunity to participate and learn these exercises and practice healthy lifestyles effectively.
To make this event more meaningful, basic screening tests, a blood donation drive as well as a breast cancer screenings and pap smear examinations, were available during the campaign. Patrons also were able to check their Body Mass Index (BMI) count and vision to know their health status and learn how to change their lifestyle for the better.
UCSI University has been organising several community projects for the past 6 years in conjunction with the Pink October month to reach out the community in terms of healthy living as well as to help students to understand the importance of social responsibility towards the community.
