Cancer Foundation-related articles

Arts foundation hopes workshops will get more young people to open up about cancer

with Andrew Sun. Additional reporting by Vivian Chen.
In polite company, cancer is not usually a topic of conversation. But the Youth Arts Foundation wants more young people to talk openly about the often hushed-up disease.
With funding from Operation Santa Claus, the arts group is moving forward with a project to empower young adults who are either living with the illness or have (had) close family members who are.
Through a series of workshops due to begin this month, participants aged between 15 and 30 will be encouraged to interpret and explore their feelings about the disease though visual art forms, digital mediums or in good old-fashioned words.
One of the artists facilitating the project is Rae Leung Wai-hon (left) who has been living with the disease since 2007.
The results will be put on display at the end of the programme, hopefully to demystify the disease and promote more public awareness. The workshops are free but you do need to sign up and the deadline is tomorrow. We suggest you contact the foundation to let them know you or someone you know might have an interest.


Donation helps young cancer patients explore artistic talent

Adrian Wan
About 100 people fighting cancer will be able to take part in a six-month art workshop, thanks to Swire group's HK$150,000 donation to the Youth Arts Foundation yesterday.
In its 15th year of sponsoring Operation Santa Claus, John Swire & Sons - one of the longest-serving corporate donors - raised the money through its charitable trust, for the foundation's new project targeted at 18 to 30-year-olds with cancer, The C Word. Hunter Crawford, staff director of the Swire group, said: 'The company has had a long-time relationship with the foundation. And the project is a great cause, so we're happy to help them get the publicity in the English media they need.'
The Swire group, which comprises about 80 companies with 70,000 employees, 'will continue to support Operation Santa Claus as long as possible', he said.
Rae Leung Wai-hon was diagnosed with cancer in 2007.
She will be the artist in residence for The C Word, a free workshop not only for the young people living with the disease, but also relatives struggling to deal with their own feelings.
The C Word will be open to about 100 people, run for approximately six months, and comprise workshops on audio recording, writing, photography and collage-making.
Leung said she came up with the idea after noticing there was not much support for cancer patients in her age group.
Last month, the foundation and the Little Life Warrior Society, another OSC beneficiary, sat down to talk about the benefits of art for people living with cancer. Dr Matthew Shing Ming-kong, a founder of the mutual-aid organisation for children with cancer, said he used art as a way for his patients to express their thoughts and feelings. 'It lets them understand themselves and others,' he said. 'And it undoubtedly lets people who care, like me, to get a glimpse of their inner feelings.'
He recalled treating an 18-year-old avid badminton player two years ago. 'The moment he knew he had cancer,' Shing said, 'the first question he asked was, 'Can I still play badminton?' To be frank it wasn't optimistic because his right hand was losing agility.
'Later, I saw his drawing of himself playing badminton with his left hand. His strong desire to continue playing badminton was amazing. But if it hadn't been for the painting, I wouldn't have known.'
The young man regained strength in his right hand.
'Our children engage in lots of painting, singing, writing, arts and crafts, or even photography, in their leisure time,' Shing said.
'By no means is their artistry sophisticated, but it's certain that the arts provide avenues for them to give vent to their feelings.'
Yick Ling-yan, visual arts manager of the arts foundation, agreed that art was 'a nice way to express one's thoughts'.
Knowing the benefits art could bring to children with cancer, the foundation conducted a puppet-making programme for the Little Life Warrior Society a year ago.
She said: 'It inspired uncertain children to share with people around them their happiness and their sadness.'
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Santa brings hope to little warriors

Adrian Wan
It is a diagnosis everyone dreads: cancer. And the reaction can range from stoic acceptance to despair and thoughts of suicide.
Dr Matthew Shing Ming-kong, senior medical officer with the Lady Pao Children's Cancer Centre at Prince of Wales Hospital, Sha Tin, has seen it all.
One Hong Kong mother considered jumping out of the window with her five-year-old son when he was diagnosed with cancer.
Shing tried to reassure her, telling her that nowadays more than 70 per cent of children with cancer were cured. A counsellor encouraged her to look on the bright side.
There was one person in that room who lifted her spirits - a young leukaemia survivor, who had recovered from the disease more than 10 years earlier. The survivor gave the woman the hope she needed.
That experience prompted Shing to form a support group, Little Life Warrior Society, in 2002. Children with cancer, their families and medical staff can fight the battle together.
About 20,000 people in Hong Kong are diagnosed with cancer each year, of which about 200 are children. Cure rates were much higher than for most adults, Shing said, adding that more than 70 per cent of children could be completely cured.
'It's true that treatment of children's cancer has been improving, but their sadness can't simply be resolved with advanced medical facilities, high-quality care and counselling services,' he said. 'Our group lets the little warriors and their families get together and support each other.'
Anson Lau Cheuk-lam, 12, developed leukaemia last year and had to skip school for more than half a year to receive treatment. 'It was so tough getting chemotherapy and radiotherapy - my face turned purple sometimes,' she said. 'The worst thing was it tired me very easily, and I couldn't participate in my PE lessons even after the treatment.'
Treatment for Anson's cancer ended two years ago, and she had three years to go before she was considered cured, Shing said.
The society organises regular ward visits, tea gatherings, parties and other events for its more than 800 members. It held a four-day childhood-cancer camp last year, and Shing hopes to do it again when he gets new funding.
'We'll make use of the money collected and help children with cancer on the mainland, because fewer than 10 per cent of them can afford the cost of treatments,' the doctor said. 'Most of them get diagnosed and go back home.'
The society is one of the beneficiaries of Operation Santa Claus, the annual charity drive organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK. It intends to use donations to continue providing services to child cancer patients and survivors in the city, and to do more work and set up similar groups on the mainland.
Shing said: 'We manage our finances transparently and use every dollar to help children.'
Other charities receiving Operation Santa Claus support are Suicide Prevention Services, Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Elderly Home, conservation body WWF, Youth Arts Foundation, Autism Partnership Foundation, Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Charitable Trust, the Nesbitt Centre, Po Leung Kuk, The Intellectually Disabled Education and Advocacy League, Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, the End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation and Operation Dawn.
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