It comprises Childhood Cancer Support Association (Cakne), Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society, Friend of Childhood Cancer Northern, Persatuan Kebajikan Pesakit Kanak-Kanak Hospital USM, Persatuan Sokongan Kanser Kanak-Kanak Terengganu, National Cancer Society Malaysia, and Childhood Cancer Association Malaysia

CCM president Mohd Shah Awaluddin said the initiative merges resources, raises awareness, and advocates better healthcare policies for young cancer patients and survivors.

“Through CCM, we aim to bring together key players in childhood cancer care and amplify awareness, enhance resources, and improve outcomes for children battling cancer,” he said, adding that it will promote awareness, advocate better healthcare policies, and enhance training for healthcare professionals and support groups.

Mohd Shah said CCM seeks to expand access to quality care nationwide and tackle the long-term challenges of childhood cancer survivors, including health, education and financial assistance.

He said childhood cancer remains a significant health concern in Malaysia, with some 1,000 new cancer-affected children diagnosed each year. Leukaemia, brain tumours and lymphoma are among the most common types affecting them.

While survival rates have improved due to advancements in treatment, Mohd Shah said there are challenges such as late diagnosis, limited access to specialised care, and financial burdens on families, with many children in rural and underserved areas facing obstacles in obtaining timely treatment.

Mohd Shah said through the collective effort, CCM aims to bridge gaps in treatment access, and strengthen nationwide support systems for families affected by childhood cancer.

“Our vision is to have a future where every cancer-stricken child thrives with access to quality care and support. By working collectively, we can provide a more sustainable network that ensures no child fights alone.”

Mohd Shah, who is also the father of a childhood cancer survivor, emphasised the challenges faced by families during and after treatment.

“The journey doesn’t end after beating cancer. There are complications, and proper treatment and medication can take up to two or three years. Family plays an important role, but some families are left without support. That’s where NGOs like us step in to provide a strong support system,” he said.

Childhood Cancer International (CCI) president Rodney Wong praised CCM’s establishment as a crucial multi-stakeholder initiative to support the childhood cancer community.

He called for global participation in sharing impactful initiatives, celebrating successes, breaking treatment barriers and supporting ICCD 2025.

Wong said CCI is committed to uniting healthcare professionals, caregivers, and stakeholders to advocate greater awareness, facilitate capacity development, and promote the sharing of best practices in childhood cancer care.

Alongside the coalition’s launch, Cakne launched Cakne Outdoors, an initiative to promote a healthy lifestyle among childhood cancer survivors.

Mohd Shah said Cakne Outdoors is more than just an activity-based programme.

“It’s about rebuilding confidence, strength, and well-being for survivors who have fought through cancer. We want to encourage them to stay active and embrace a healthier lifestyle.”

The organisation runs several initiatives to support childhood cancer patients, survivors, and their families, including “Kem Gaya Hidup Sihat”, a programme promoting a healthy lifestyle post-treatment.

It also organises the “Program Literasi Digital”, which equips survivors with digital skills, and “Program Bantuan Ekonomi”, which offers financial assistance to individuals who have become disabled due to cancer.

Cakne also manages “Sajian Harapan Cakne”, a TikTok channel that shares valuable nutritional tips and recipes for cancer patients.

Source: The Sun

Precision medicine is an innovative approach to diagnosis and treatment that delves into a patient’s genetics to understand the specifics and mechanisms of their disease more accurately. Of the many diseases present, battling cancer is particularly challenging because of its physical, financial, and mental toll on the patient. A tripartite collaboration between insurer Prudential Malaysia, biotechnology company AstraZeneca, and diagnostics company Pantai Premier Pathology launched in April 2022 is hoped to overcome these limitations whilst improving cancer patients’ access to precision medicine i.e., genomic testing.

Healthcare professionals, part of the American Cancer Society and others, have recognised the significance of the information acquired from genetic testing – an in-depth understanding of the genetic profile of the cancer helps doctors plan specific and effective treatment. Through this collaboration, cancer patients can look forward to improved survival outcomes and quality of life.

The first industry collaboration of its kind will entail Pantai Premier Pathology providing precision medicine diagnosis through their laboratory, Prudential Malaysia improving affordability to the diagnosis through medical insurance/takaful plans, and AstraZeneca supporting by way of education on early diagnosis.

The signing ceremony was officiated by the Minister of Health, Malaysia, YB Khairy Jamaluddin, with the CEOs of the respective companies in attendance: Lim Eng Seong, CEO of Prudential Assurance Malaysia and Wan Saifulrizal Wan Ismail, CEO of Prudential BSN Takaful; Dr. Sanjeev Panchal, President of AstraZeneca Malaysia; and Hareeff Muhammed, CEO of Pantai Premier Pathology.

“We are delighted to partner with AstraZeneca and Pantai Premier Pathology in this collaboration which synergises our efforts in educating and supporting cancer patients,” said Lim. “Prudential Malaysia now extends our coverage to include genomic testing and precision medicine, giving our customers peace of mind that they can be in the best position to focus on their treatment and recovery. This coverage also allows physicians to prescribe clinically suitable treatments and tests from other pharmaceutical companies and laboratories.

“As their trusted partner in health and protection, we want our customers to face this battle with confidence.”

The sentiment was echoed by the other CEOs who hope that this collaboration will push more like-minded industry partners to join the coalition to help broaden patients access to quality and affordable cancer care in the country.

Read: Malaysian cancer patients stand to receive better care with new NCSM partnership

Health Care Asia Home

Cancer patients are a high-priority group vulnerable to severe complications and even death from an unsuspecting COVID-19 infection, no thanks to their compromised immunity from cancer itself. Despite the fear and anxiety surrounding COVID-19 – the incidence of which is thankfully under control in parts of the world, after nearly two years – healthcare professionals recommend cancer patients to continuously monitor their health and proceed with the necessary treatment to ensure their survival.

Cancer is a disease largely attributed to improper mechanisms of cell division and cell aging, which eventually leads to cancers centered in/around the lung, breast, colon, stomach, and liver, among others. According to the National Cancer Institute, US, these cancer cells can even spread to tissues in distant parts of the body to cause further complications. While an effective cure for the many types of cancer is yet unavailable, treatments abound that relieve symptoms and progression of the disease.

At present however, COVID-19 has affected the diagnosis and treatment of cancer worldwide, more so in countries with a developing economy and fewer resources.

An example is the Asia Pacific region, home to 60% of the world’s population. It accounts for about 50% of the total global cancer incidence – a figure that is expected to rise post-pandemic for various reasons. Some parts of this region boast a higher percentage of aged individuals per capita, compared to Europe, which irrefutably increases the risks and incidence of cancer; these same parts in turn, have reported negative reception to treatment of cancer during COVID-19.

The trend in Asia Pacific is reflected in global health data estimates: cancer was seen to be the leading cause of death in Japan and South Korea in 2017, versus a lower incidence in relatively younger populations such as those in India and the Philippines. This is simply because the former demographics have a high proportion of aged individuals who are more susceptible to cancer, regardless of economic status or availability/quality of healthcare systems.

Cancer presents a formidable challenge to healthcare systems across Asia Pacific, as each country needs to cater to specific response(s) to cancer care. A functional healthcare system, in short, is largely dependent on multidisciplinary funding to provide quality care and maintain sustainability; on the other end, health spending will ensure adequate consumption of care – in this case, quality cancer care could potentially be life-changing in regards to cancer survival among patients.

Even though the capacities of healthcare systems in Asia Pacific have been disrupted by the presence of COVID-19, oncologists and healthcare experts still root for cancer prevention and early detection for better management of the disease. One silver lining as a result of COVID-19 is the advancement of telemedicine and personalised therapies for cancer, such that can be offered from standalone cancer treatment centres. These initiatives will undoubtedly encourage patients to go for regular screenings and receive treatment, safely away from the lurking threat of COVID-19. It will also ensure more satisfactory delivery and management of cancer.

And finally, with the amount of health information available for perusal, patients are much encouraged to form a firm understanding of the science and treatments behind cancer and be open to diverse prevention and/or treatment options – health literacy is important at this time to ensure timely and effective interventions as they develop, especially in Asia Pacific.

Read: Covid-19: Navigating cancer during the pandemic

A new cooperation agreement, announced by healthcare access company Axios International (Axios) and the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) will see better support for oncology (cancer) patients through improved diagnosis of the disease, access to treatment and patient adherence.

Centered on a holistic approach, the agreement will address difficulties faced by patients: starting from disease awareness, the impact of the community, navigating the healthcare system and eventually having access to and adhering to treatment, in order to ultimately maximise treatment benefits. 

In this, Axios will support eligible patients across Malaysia through its Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) to help them overcome affordability barriers by assessing their individual ability to pay for the necessary treatments; it will allow for completion of these patients’ treatment even if they are unable to pay for it in full.

At the same time, NCSM will raise awareness on the prevention, screening and early detection of cancer through relevant education material(s). NCSM will also provide patients with psychosocial support to increase adherence, empowering them to maintain a high quality of life.

Roshel Jayasundera, Director, Global Consulting, Axios International, pointed out that oncology patients need “sustainable access solutions [that] go beyond treatment affordability” including country-specific indicators, individual patient needs and personalised adherence support to maximise treatment outcomes and most importantly, help patients stay on treatment.

“While Axios works on resolving the financial aspects and hurdles faced by patients; NCSM is excited to be given this opportunity to work closely with patients in need of different forms of psychosocial support; long recognised as part of the insurmountable barriers in cancer care,” said Dr. Murallitharan Munisamy, Medical Director, NCSM. “Together we hope to be able to assist patients in obtaining the care they need and successfully start and complete their cancer treatment journey.”