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Daily Express
30-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Express
Cyclists help raise funds for Sabah's 1st children's hospice
Published on: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 30, 2025 By: Lorena Binisol Text Size: At the Sepeda Amal Borneo 2025 flagging-off ceremony. Kota Kinabalu: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), in collaboration with the Malaysian Association of Paediatric Palliative Care (MAPPAC), officially launched the Sepeda Amal Borneo 2025 (SAB2025) charity cycling event in Sandakan. The six-day ride aimed to raise vital funds for Sabah's first children's palliative care centre, the Malaysian Children's Hospice (MCH Kota Kinabalu). Dubbed the 'Sabah Everest', the ride spans a challenging 600km route from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu, passing through Sungai Sapi, Paitan, Kota Marudu, Ranau and Tambunnan. The event runs from July 27 to Aug 1, with 17 cyclists participating, 14 from Malaysia, and one each from Singapore, the United States, and Macau. It was officiated by Sandakan Member of Parliament Vivian Wong Shir Yee, who was represented by District Medical Officer Dr Azwan Izat Rafaeh. The flagging-off ceremony was officiated by her political secretary, Teo Chee Kim, on her behalf. The launching ceremony, held at Livingston Hotel, Sandakan, began with opening remarks by Dr Timothy Cheng, founder of Sepeda Amal Borneo, followed by an introduction to paediatric palliative care by Dr Ng Su Fang, vice president of MAPPAC. 'This ride is more than a physical challenge, it is a journey of compassion and hope for children facing life-limiting illnesses,' said Dr Timothy Cheng, who also serves as chairperson of SAB2025 and MMA Schomos representative. The upcoming Malaysian Children's Hospice in Kota Kinabalu will offer holistic, home-based care for children with complex medical conditions. Services would include home visits, medical equipment loans, and psychosocial support for families navigating difficult circumstances. 'Through SAB2025, we aim to expand public awareness and strengthen the long-term development of paediatric palliative care. This centre will bring vital support and comfort to families across East Malaysia,' said Dr Ng Su Fang. Every year, thousands of children in Malaysia are diagnosed with rare diseases, cancer, or congenital disorders. Their families face heavy medical burdens, lack of long-term care services, emotional support, and community resources. Despite the growing need, paediatric palliative care in Malaysia remains underdeveloped, especially in Sabah, where no children's hospice currently exists. Many children spend their final days in hospitals rather than at home, missing out on the comfort of familiar surroundings and family togetherness. Currently, Malaysia has only 13 hospitals offering paediatric palliative care services and just three community-based children's hospices located in Kuala Lumpur, Klang, and Sibu. The SAB2025 event would conclude with a charity dinner on August 1 in Kota Kinabalu, featuring live performances and testimonies from families who have benefited from palliative care. All proceeds will go toward expanding services at MCH Kota Kinabalu. To donate or learn more, visit: * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Star
Cycling for a cause: Borneo charity ride to help terminally ill children
KOTA KINABALU: Palliative care for adults is a topic that many are somewhat aware of, but what about for terminally ill children? 'From what is observed here in Sabah, palliative care for children is not a subject many are aware of, and there isn't even a proper dedicated organisation or department that looks into this,' said a Sandakan-based orthopaedic surgeon from Selangor. Dr Timothy Cheng, 37, who has been working in Sabah for the past 13 years, said that with this in mind, he felt the need to do something to not only raise awareness but also get things moving and actions underway. With that, the idea of organising a cycling for charity event, to build a children's palliative care centre here in Kota Kinabalu, was born, he said. This programme, named 'Program Sepeda Amal Borneo 2025', organised by the Malaysia Medical Association (MMA), will run from July 27 to Aug 1, to raise RM500,000 for the building of the centre. 'A total of 17 people, comprising Malaysians, Singaporeans, Americans and Macanese, are scheduled to participate in this 600km ride from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu, while a charity dinner will ensue on Aug 1 at the Hilton Hotel here,' Dr Cheng said. He hopes that with awareness raised and donations received, they can make this dream a reality. At the moment, there is only a small team of non-governmental individuals who go for house and hospital visits, to educate parents and families on caring for their terminally ill children, as well as try to let the child have as much of a normal life as they can, he said. Dr Cheng said palliative care for adults is quite well established, as they get more funding, and it has been around for quite some time, but it is not the same for palliative care for children. 'How do you tell and make the child understand that they will pass away any time? How do you prepare parents, their siblings, other family members, friends and teachers to approach this topic?' he said. 'How can we try to adapt and make them live as normally as possible until the time they are no longer here? This is what we want to try and tell the public, teach them and hopefully, help to gain more attention on this matter,' he said. Dr Cheng said that with this cycling for charity programme, they also hope to indirectly bring attention to the condition of the infrastructure in Sabah. He said it is a fact that Sabah gets less attention from the federal government in many senses, and more needs to be done to address all the issues faced in this large, beautiful state. 'We wish to highlight how difficult it is for many, especially those living in rural areas, to get medical treatment, go for official matters and do other things because some really do have to go the extra miles just to get from one place to another,' he said. Dr Cheng hopes this coming cycle for the charity event will have support from the public, as well as lawmakers in the country.
