SANDAKAN: The Sandakan Breast Cancer Support Association, better known as Sandakan Pink Ribbon (SPR), will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a charity dinner and fundraising event here on Oct 31.
SPR president Mary Alex Mansiw said the event would not only celebrate the association’s two decades of service but also raise funds to sustain its breast cancer awareness programmes and assist patients in need.
She said the association began in 2006 as a committee under the auspices of Duchess of Kent Hospital (HDOK) in Sandakan, with then hospital director Dr Zorina Khalid playing a significant role in supporting the initiative.
At the time, she added public awareness of breast cancer was still low.
“Not many people knew about breast cancer back then. We therefore took the initiative to reach out to communities, including those in rural areas, to educate them about breast health and the importance of early detection,” she said.
Mary said that, apart from working with the hospital, SPR also received assistance from IJM Plantation in organising various health education programmes, forums and talks to improve public understanding of the disease.
“These efforts eventually led to the formal establishment of the Sandakan Breast Cancer Support Association on Feb 2, 2017, also known as the Breast Cancer Support Association or Sandakan Pink Ribbon,” she said.
She said contributions from Sabah Credit Corporation, which was then chaired by former Batu Sapi MP Datuk Linda Tsen, donations from the public and donors in Kuala Lumpur, as well as support from IJM Properties in securing premises, helped establish the Sandakan Pink Ribbon Centre.
“The centre now serves as a venue for breast cancer awareness programmes, meetings and various activities.
“In the early days, we often held meetings at the hospital and at my home. Now, SPR has its own centre where we can conduct activities and provide a space for patients and members to gather and share their experiences, while inviting speakers and specialists to share their knowledge,” she said.
