Petaling Jaya, Malaysia — A new Paediatric Palliative Care (PPC) Centre has been established through a unique collaboration between the local City Council, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), and MyStarfish Berhad, a charity organisation dedicated to improving paediatric palliative care provision.
The building, provided rent-free by Petaling Jaya City Council to UMMC, was transformed into a purpose-built centre through funding raised entirely from public donations. MyStarfish Berhad led this transformation and continues to support the centre by funding its programmes, services, and ongoing maintenance. UMMC provides clinical oversight and integration with hospital-based care.
This centre represents a significant milestone as Malaysia’s first hospital-linked paediatric palliative care centre located within the community. Directly anchored to a tertiary hospital, it ensures that care remains guided by specialist expertise, with clinical standards, governance, and continuity of care upheld—while enabling therapies and support to be delivered in a more relaxed, non-hospital environment.
The centre is designed to support holistic care for children with serious illness and their families. Services include psychotherapy for patients, parents, and siblings delivered by a multidisciplinary team comprising music, art, and play therapists, alongside 2 psychologists. The centre also supports respite care, group activities, and provides a welcoming space where patients and families can simply come, rest, and, be.
This initiative reflects the power of collaboration between public institutions and community-driven efforts, demonstrating how generosity and shared vision can create meaningful change in the care of children and families.
For more information or to support the initiative, please visit https://mystarfish.org.my.
Leave a Reply