Spider-Man movie treat for Malaysian children with cancer and their families
KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Over 230 people including 60 children with cancer along with their families were treated to a special screening of Spider-Man: Far from Home followed by lunch at the Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) Nu Sentral recently.
Organised by a kind-hearted individual with a soft spot for children with cancer, Katrina Chin, the treat was sponsored jointly by business tycoon and Maju Holdings group executive chairman Tan Sri Abu Sahid Mohamed, GSC Nu Sentral and Sony Pictures Entertainment Malaysia.
The children and their families were also treated to a sumptuous healthy meal, tailored for cancer patients, courtesy of Bebek Duck in KL Sentral.
The lunch was followed by a birthday surprise for children who were born in July.
Excitement filled the air when the Spider-Man mascot popped up to mingle around and take photos with the kids.
Chin said the idea behind the screening was to brighten the lives of the children with a fun family day out at the movies.
“Most of these children are currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment for their cancer and hardly get to spend a day out with their families to prevent infection.
“Therefore, we thought it would be a great idea to cheer them up with a special movie screening for the whole family,” she added.
Chin hoped more people and non-governmental organisations would join hands to organise such events to give the children hope and positivity.
The screening was made possible with the cooperation of Persatuan Sokongan Kanser Kanak Kanak PPUKM (Cakne) and Kumpulan Ibu Dan Sokongan Anak-Anak Kanser (Kids) cancer support groups under Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Cente and Kuala Lumpur Hospital respectively.
Cakne was established in 2008 by Mohd Shah Awaluddin and his wife Nor Hashimah Sulaiman to provide support to families of children with cancer who are receiving treatment at PPUKM.
Mohd Shah said the idea of the support group came into his mind after his daughter Nurul Islah was diagnosed with brain tumour in 2007 when she was nine.
Following Nurul Islah’s treatment for about a year, Mohd Shah said he and his wife felt the need for a group to provide moral and financial support to underprivileged families who have children with cancer.
Supporting about 60 new cancer patients every year, Moh Shah said they provide the patients with a starter kit comprising basic equipment, including thermometer, towel and logbook as well as monthly RM300 living allowance for six months, transportation allowance and funeral allowance if the patient passes away.
Similarly, Kids was set up to support families of children with cancer and walk them through the treatment period.
Group vice-president Azniah Ghulam said many people associate cancer with death as soon as their child is diagnosed with the disease.
“Our role at Kids is to provide support moral support to the families and educate them about childhood cancer,” Said Azniah, who is also a mother of a cancer survivor.
Azniah added that the support group also provides medical equipment such as wheelchairs, strollers and portable machines to the families in need.
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