PCA hopes more cancer patients will benefit

Daily Express: Kota Kinabalu: The Palliative Care Association (PCA) of Kota Kinabalu hopes to see more advanced cancer patients and their families benefitting from its free financial, medical and counselling assistance.
But it needs continued support from the public to achieve this, either by joining as active volunteers at its day-care service centre or contributing any amount to assist in funding its operational cost which amounts to at least RM200,000 per year.
Its President, Sr Morna Chua, said as a non-governmental organisation, PCA depends almost completely on volunteers to help them provide for much needed services like medical advice and therapy.
PCA has so far have about 80 registered volunteers but only about 30 are actively involved in providing day-care services at its centre located along Jalan Penampang-Kota Kinabalu, near the Chemistry Department building.
But due to the anticipated increase in the number of patients seeking their palliative care services, from the present number of about 40 -50 patients received by their day-care centre at one time, she said the need to have more active volunteers has increased.
Last year, the centre provided services for a total of 153 patients of whom the majority were adults aged between 40-70. This is an increase from slightly over 100 patients they registered at the centre in the year 2004.
"As a volunteer, you will give your time, attention, effort and expertise with no expectation of compensation ?your efforts are repaid in a 'currency' which has no value in the financial market, that is love ?" said Chua.
She said when she and the other senior volunteers first started PCA in 1995, all of them were just volunteers who got together during their free time.
"We began in 1995 with home visits under the Home Care programme for cancer patients to support the Palliative Care Unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH)," she recalled.
They officially registered as the Palliative Care Association of Kota Kinabalu in June 1998. And they were able to employ two full-time nurse co-ordinators in 1999 and 2000 to help oversee the Home Care programme.
Chua said they moved into their current premises in 2002, and then managed to start a day-care centre with the dedicated services and efforts of their volunteers.
She is nevertheless happy that their core group of volunteers, mostly women comprising professionals and housewives who were with them in the beginning are still continuing to render their service and share their experiences and expertise with their junior volunteers.
"For some people, a great day is a day spent at the beach with friends. With others, it is a day spent indoors with a good book. The common thread here is that the day is spent doing something that the person loves or spent with someone that the person loves," said Chua.
"That essentially captures what we try to provide to our patients and beneficiariesËe aim to fill their days with love."
"Our patients are the reason why PCA is here. Our volunteers are the reason why PCA is so effective. And public support is the reason why PCA is able to continue providing our services for free to those in need," she said.
The public can also help the association by contributing to its 6th annual charity dinner and concert to be held at Magellan Wing of the Sutera Harbour and Spa here on Mar 29.