2007 in Review: An Eventful Year!

March

10 March
Our Exco Members “hang out” at Starbucks to raise funds

It proved to be a strategic move when PSLEM shifted the venue of our monthly Executive Committee Meeting from our office to Starbucks Sunway Pyramid and won radio station FlyFM’s prize money of RM1,000 for the biggest group to “hang out” the longest at the Starbucks café. This fund-raising effort was the brainchild of PSLEM member, Ms. Sarah Kambali. Kudos to Sarah!

24 March
Forum on SLE in Melaka

More than 70 SLE patients and family members of patients benefited from a two-session forum – one in BM and one in Mandarin – held at the Melaka City Bayview Hotel. Dr. Amir Zain, a consultant rheumatologist from the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, and Ms. Jaya Mayavar, a dietitian from Hospital Melaka, took the BM session, while Dr. Kok Keng Weng, a consultant haematologist from the Mahkota Medical Centre, and Ms. Yeoh Pei Sien, a dietitian from Hospital Batu Pahat took the Mandarin session. The topics were “What is SLE?” and “A Healthy Diet for SLE Patients”. Ms. Theresa Ng Siaw Yean of Melaka got together a number of well-wishers in Melaka to sponsor the forum and the refreshments. Thank you, Theresa!

Dr. Amir Zain (right) spoke on “What is SLE?” followed by Ms. Jaya Mayavar with a detailed talk on what comprises a healthy diet for SLE patients

May

10 May
10th May is World Lupus Day!

YB Dato’ Lee Kah Choon, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Health, launched Malaysia’s commemoration of World Lupus Day 2007 with the reading of the World Lupus Day proclamation and the cutting of the World Lupus Day cake. PSLEM would like to record our heartfelt thanks to the newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations that have given publicity to a day that is significant to SLE sufferers all over the world. Thank you also for raising public awareness about SLE, a lesser known but potentially devastating disease that can cause severe damage to tissues and organs.

Dato’ Lee Kah Choon (second from right) cutting the World Lupus Day cake with PSLEM Acting President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esha Das Gupta (second from left), witnessed by Walk-a-Payung patron, YB Yong Dai Ying (extreme right), and Walk-a-Payung Organising Chairperson, Ms. Ooi Chooi Im

24 – 27 May
World Lupus Congress in Shanghai

Acting President, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esha Das Gupta represented PSLEM at the World Lupus Congress in Shanghai. She also presented Malaysia’s World Lupus Day umbrellas to the delegates from lupus support groups all over the world.

27 May
“Walk-a-Payung” commemorates World Lupus Day 2007

“Walk-a-Payung” – a walk with umbrellas printed with the World Lupus Day logo – was held to commemorate World Lupus Day 2007 and to raise awareness that SLE patients have to avoid the sun. More than 700 people walked the 2-km route from Jalan BU3/1 in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, led by Wanita PGRM Deputy Chairperson YB Yong Dai Ying, who was the patron for the event. The half-day family event also featured free tests for blood sugar, blood pressure, body mass index, and bone density; a quiz on SLE, and a lucky draw. The “Walk-a-Payung”, which made it into the Malaysia Book of Records as the “The Largest Participation of Walkers with Umbrella”, also succeeded in raising a total of RM154,563.98 to help PSLEM expand its free counselling services in SLE clinics throughout Malaysia. The largest donor was Electronic Commerce Technology Sdn Bhd (RealRewards) with a donation of RM50,000.

More than 700 people took part in the “Walk-a-Payung” to commemorate World Lupus Day 2007 and to raise awareness that SLE patients have to avoid the sun

June

2 June
Forum on SLE in Terengganu

PSLEM held a public forum on SLE in Terengganu for the first time. The forum was organised in collaboration with Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah (HSNZ), Kuala Terengganu and attracted a record attendance of more than 130 participants comprising SLE patients, their family members, and hospital staff. The programme included talks on “What is SLE?” by Dr. Zawawi Nordin, Head of HSNZ’s Nephrology Unit, “The Skin in SLE” by Dr. T. Suganthi, a consultant dermatologist from Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), and “Living with SLE” by Ms. Siti Nurbaya Zakaria, an SLE patient from Besut, Terengganu.

The attentive audience at the public forum on SLE in Kuala Terengganu

2 & 3 June
Family Camp in Merang, Terengganu

The first SLE Family Camp in Terengganu was held at the Merang Suria Resort. Although only 22 participants attended the camp, the small group had a very fruitful time, especially during the “Doktor & Anda” sessions where patients were given the opportunity to voice out the various issues that have been on their minds. Special thanks go to the doctors “on call”, Dr. T. Suganthi from HKL and Dr. Abdul Halim Gafor from Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) for patiently answering all our questions! We hope that the Forum on SLE and the Family Camp in Terengganu would be the beginning of a patient support group in the State.

3 June
Doctors’ Forum in Kuala Terengganu

A Doctors’ Forum on SLE was organised in collaboration with Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah (HSNZ) at Hotel Grand Continental in Kuala Terengganu. The forum was chaired by Dr. Zawawi Nordin, Head of HSNZ’s Nephrology Unit, while the speakers were Dr. Abdul Halim Gafor, a consultant nephrologist from HUKM (“An Overview of SLE” and “Lupus Nephritis”), and Dr. T. Suganthi, a consultant dermatologist from HKL (“Skin Involvement in SLE”).

July

2 – 31 July
Sandakan Chapter members go for ICT course

PSLEM’s Sandakan Chapter members Monita Cheong, Leong Ling Ling, Nancy Lee @ Maimun, Masni Maidin and Amy Tan Li Keang were given the chance to attend an ICT course organised by Sabah’s Ministry of State Resource Development & Information Technology for organisations such as associations and NGOs. Monita represented our Sandakan Chapter members at the certificate presentation ceremony in Sabah Hotel on 16 January this year.

Sandakan Chapter Representative Monita Cheong receiving the ICT course certificates on behalf of the other chapter members from Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, Minister of State Resource Development and Information Technology

August

16 August
“Caring Malaysians” Campaign

RealRewards, the customer loyalty card company, launched its “Caring Malaysians” car-sticker Spot-to-Win contest to raise funds in aid of SLE patients and people living with HIV/AIDS. A car-sticker was given with every donation of RM10 cash or 1,500 RealRewards’ Real points. Those with the sticker on their car windscreens were then eligible to win prizes consisting of “Visit Malaysia” travel packages for a family of four and Real points.

Admiring the “Caring Malaysians” car-sticker, from left: PSLEM’s Medical Advisor Prof. Datin Dr. Norella Kong, Wanita PGRM Deputy Chairperson YB Yong Dai Ying, RealRewards’ Executive Director Datin Rahmah Kassim, and Malaysian AIDS Foundation Chairman Prof. Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman

September

1 September
Forum on SLE in Penang

SLE patients in Penang had the opportunity to meet up with other patients from the northern region in a forum on SLE held at Hospital Pulau Pinang (HPP) attended by more than 80 participants. The doctors speaking at the forum were from HPP: Dr Tan Bee Eng, a consultant rheumatologist (“What is SLE?” in Mandarin), Dr Liew Pek Kuen, a clinical specialist (“What is SLE?” in BM), Dr Liew Yew Fong, a consultant nephrologist (“The Kidney in SLE” in BM), and Dr Kok Lai Sun, a clinical specialist (“The Kidney in SLE” in Mandarin). SLE patients Puan Shatiffah Mohd Shah and Ms. Loh Pui Yee spoke on “Living with SLE” in BM and Mandarin respectively.

Dr. Tan Bee Eng (right), who will soon be forming a new PSLEM chapter in Penang, being presented with the PSLEM brooch by PSLEM Exco Member Helen Yong in appreciation of her contribution towards the success of the Penang Forum on SLE

1 & 2 September
First SLE Family Camp in Penang

More than 80 SLE patients and their family members from the northern and central regions met over the weekend at The Crown Jewel, Tanjung Bungah in PSLEM’s first Family Camp in Penang. The programme included discussions among patients in one group and patients’ family members in another group, to enable everyone to learn from one another’s experiences. The “Doktor & Anda” session was led by Dr. Tan Bee Eng from Hospital Pulau Pinang and Dr. Anwar Arshad from Putra Medical Centre, Alor Setar, both consultant rheumatologists. Dr. Anwar also spoke on “The Role of Medications in SLE”.

November

25 November
Bukit Lanjan-Hash Charity Run

More than 130 people experienced the thrill (and agonies!) of the world-famed hash run for the first time in their lives at Desa Temuan Bukit Lanjan, the scenic Orang Asli settlement in Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya. The Charity Run in aid of SLE patients was organised by the Bukit Lanjan State Constituency Service Centre and the KL Dalamatians Hash House Harriers. Participation was through a minimum donation of RM30 per person to PSLEM. After their run, participants were rewarded with lively cultural dances by the Orang Asli and an interesting tour of the Muzium Orang Asli Desa Temuan.

“Black Jack” Maniam of the KL Dalmatians Hash House Harriers, flanked by PSLEM President Dr. Heselynn Hussein (right) and KL Dalmatians’ Grand Master “Medic” Kumar, giving the all-important briefing before the run