by Dr Evelyn Ho

Yang Berbahagia, Datin Azrene Abdullah, Chairman of PRIDE and daughter-in-law of the late Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, presented certificates to 25 nurses from all over Malaysia, from both government and private hospitals, who had been specially selected to attend this sponsored course.

These nurses had just completed an intensive 5-day course which is an accredited unit of a Masters Degree from Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia and had been specifically tailored to meet the needs of our women in Malaysia. Professor Kate White, PhD, Professor of Nursing and Director of Research from the Faculty of Nursing, University of Sydney was the primary lecturer.

The closing ceremony began with a moving welcome address by Mrs Deidre Sidhu, the chairperson of the organizing committee. Yg Berbahagia Datuk Peter Wentworth, Chief Executive Officer of BP Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd followed with a speech and the story of how the funds came about for supporting this cause (from the Rugby Charity in June 2005 that BP co-supported).

Yg Bhg Datin Azrene Abdullah presents a certificate to a participant

The principal sponsors meet! From L to R: Datuk Peter Wentworth, Mrs Lundal, Mr Morten Lundal

The VIP row in the audience!

Mr Morten Lundal, Chief Executive Officer of DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd relayed his message in a poem that enthralled and amused the audience.

It is timely that such a course was brought to Malaysia, thanks to the principal sponsors, BP and DiGi. The course venue was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Medical. Such a course would raise the level of breast cancer care in Malaysia – a move that would improve outcome and help women recover better and faster from breast cancer by assisting them in the difficulties they confront with surgery, treatment and the psychosocial implications.  

The motivated participants of the course could not wait to put in place some of the newly acquired techniques and expertise in breast cancer care into their respective place of practice. There were emotional good byes when the event was over, as the nurses would be returning to their states of origin in Malaysia. However, there was a pledge to keep this new network of nurses going! 

The Specialist Breast Cancer Nurse Education Course materialized through the efforts of a partnership between Amanita, The National Cancer Society of Malaysia, The College of Radiology Academy of Medicine of Malaysia and the Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia. This unique opportunity for education was in line with the request by our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi to improve cancer services for all.

Please visit our Media Centre for the Press Release, Yg Bhg Datin Azrene Abdullah’s and Mrs Deidre Sidhu’s speeches.

For the report on the Specialist Breast Cancer Cancer Nurse Education Course, click here
 

Amanita – www.amanita.com.my

The National Cancer Society of Malaysia – www.cancer.org.my

College of Radiology -  www.radiologymalaysia.org

Edith Cowan University – www.ecu.edu.au

DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd – www.digi.com.my

BP Asia Pacific (Malaysia) – www.bp.com