THE theme, ‘Living the Journey’ is truly fitting for the inaugural Malaysian Breast Cancer Summit (MBCS) 2024, which has brought together over 300 participants from across Malaysia, including breast cancer patients and survivors, for a two-day programme at St Giles Wembley Hotel today.
Madam Tan Lean Kee, wife of Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, was the guest of honour at the opening of the event organised by TalkHealthAsia.com, a health literacy platform.
Tan expressed her gratitude to TalkHealthAsia chief executive officer Lim Po Lin and her team for organising such a valuable event for the breast cancer community.
She noted that the event, facilitated by Malaysia’s reputable breast cancer doctors such as Prof Emeritus Dato Dr Yip Cheng-Har, Dr Kiley Loh, Dr Mastura Md Yusof and others, is meaningful for patients and caregivers.
Reflecting on the programme and pitstop educational booths, Tan observed that TalkHealthAsia, the MBCS Summit Medical Committee and their industry collaborators are committed to realising the summit’s vision of fostering a brighter and better-informed breast health landscape in Malaysia.
“I’m proud that Penang has the opportunity to host this inaugural summit.
“To all participants, you are true warriors. I hope you will share the insights you learn this weekend with others not here so that, together, we can make a difference and improve breast health in our country.
“There is life beyond cancer. I wish each of you strength and courage in living the journey. You are not alone. Connect and uplift one another. And lean on God for His strength to see you through this journey with support from loved ones, friends and the health community,” Tan said in her speech.
Earlier, Lim thanked Tan for gracing the event even in a wheelchair due to a recent leg injury sustained from a fall. She praised Tan for her determination to attend the opening ceremony despite her difficulty in walking, which inspired the attendees and perfectly encapsulated the theme of the summit, ‘Living the Journey’ step by step.
Lim expressed hopes that the Malaysian Breast Cancer Summit 2024 will provide life-changing insights for attendees, with a positive ripple effect on the lives of families, friends and community.
Her company has developed a search engine to help individuals easily find doctors across private hospitals with simple search terms. They also produce videos where medical professionals answer questions about health conditions and treatments, cutting through the confusion of medical jargon.
Dr Yip highlighted the importance of reliable information for those affected by breast cancer.
“Nowadays, women with breast cancer go online to find answers to their questions, and more often than not, they are given misleading information from dubious websites.
“This summit offers reliable, evidence-based, and up-to-date information about treatment and what they can do to reduce the risk of recurrence and live well after breast cancer.
“I’ve patients who asked Dr Google. But Dr Google is not always right. You need the truth, which is proven by evidence-based medicine, proven by research, not myths. Unfortunately, misinformation is very common in cancer, especially in multiracial and multicultural Malaysia,” she shared.
Dr Kiley Loh, who is also the organising chairman, said the summit features 20 educational sessions to help patients, survivors and caregivers navigate the breast cancer journey from diagnosis to treatments and beyond.
According to him, the objective of the summit is to enable breast cancer patients and survivors to connect and learn the latest practices in breast cancer from healthcare professionals specialising in its treatment.
Other renowned breast specialist speakers include Dr Doris Chow Sze Ying, Dr Mastura Md Yusof, Dr Teoh Mei Shi, Dr Nur Fadhlina Abdul Satar, Dr Vaishnavi Jeyasingam and Dr Yap Beng Khiong.
These specialist doctors are joined by allied health professionals to provide practical insight to attendees.
Also present were Dr Mary Quah, the chief executive officer of LohGuanLye Specialists Centre, and patient advocacy groups like the Breast Cancer Welfare Association (BCWA) and their patron Puan Sri Akmal Abdul Salam, Pink Penang, Pink Unity and Majlis Kanser Nasional (MAKNA).
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Siti Nuratikah Rahmat