The money was raised at a business luncheon hosted by the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to Malaysia this September.
The money is a start-up fund to enable Hospis Malaysia to deliver training and education support to help implement Malaysia’s recently launched paediatric palliative care policy.
The Duke of Cambridge expressed his support for the donation during his speech at the event saying “Let me end by thanking the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce most warmly for your generosity in giving the proceeds from this event to Hospis Malaysia. Catherine and I had a most moving visit to the Hospis yesterday. You are supporting a really wonderful cause.”
The paediatric palliative care policy was launched on 13 September 2012 at Hospis Malaysia by the Minister of Health, YB Dato’ Seri Liow Tiong Lai to advocate further provision for paediatric palliative care.
With collaboration and reciprocal training already planned with the East Anglia Children’s Hospice (EACH) of which the Duchess of Cambridge is patron, the donation will be allocated to help fund annual paediatric palliative care training courses, develop enhanced expertise in paediatric palliative care for all staff, extend Hospis Malaysia’s services in engaging with children suffering from genetic, developmental, perinatal and metabolic conditions, and advance collaborations with the Malaysian Ministry of Health in developing the national policy.
Dato’ Larry Gan, chairman of the BMCC commented “The BMCC are incredibly proud to be able to contribute this substantial amount to such a worthwhile organisation. This is indeed a much needed initiative that Hospis Malaysia has begun and we look forward in supporting the undoubtedly long and winding road ahead.”
Read more on the BMCC website.
In a separate article, Ednin Hamzah, CEO of Hospis Malaysia writes about the royal visit and the focus on paediatric palliative care in Malaysia.
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