(From left) Dr Choong and Dr Jee receiving the mock cheque from campaign directors Chong and Seng Fan Fan along with Yeow (right).
A group of Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) students raised RM9,314.16 to support palliative care services for children.
The second year students from the Communication and Creative Industries Faculty collaborated with Malaysian Association of Paediatric Palliative Care (Mappac) on a month-long awareness and fundraising campaign.
Titled “Butterfly Kisses: Goodbye Without Regret”, the initiative included a three-day event held at TAR UMT’s main campus in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.
Through the campaign, the students aimed to spread awareness of the importance of hospice care and support efforts to provide comfort and care to terminally ill patients and their families.
They also hoped the funds would advance Mappac’s mission of offering crucial palliative care services to terminally ill children and their families.
The donation was delivered via a mock cheque presentation to Mappac representatives Dr Choong Yee Wan and Dr Jee Rou Chen.
Some 900 people took part in various awareness activities and fundraising initiatives throughout the campaign.
Attendees learnt from informative and impactful talks led by experts in the field of hospice care.
These sessions included poignant real-life accounts from caregivers, offering first-hand experience in the challenges and emotional complexities of caring for a child in hospice care.
Participants also gained insight through interactive workshops, sharing sessions and the FEAR (Feel, Experience, Acceptance, Relief) exhibition.
Topics included the respectful handling of bodies and culturally sensitive practices that promote dignity and honour in the final stages of life.
Participants also had the opportunity to take part in a meditation workshop, focusing on breathing, where techniques were taught to help navigate the anguish of loss.
These talks not only deepened awareness of hospice care but also equipped attendees with compassionate understanding and practical skills crucial for supporting individuals and families in their hospice care journey.
“I hope this activity will not only teach students the event organisation skills but also foster a connection with humanity and an appreciation for the preciousness of life,” said campaign advisor Yeow Lai Chee.
“While death can be intimidating, it is time for us to confront and destigmatise it.
“If everyone acknowledges their emotions, even the difficult ones like fear and sadness, it can bring peace to each individual’s heart.
“This inner peace has the potential to radiate outward, influencing those around us and eventually shaping society as a whole,” she added.
Organising chairman Chong Hui Lin expressed gratitude to those involved.
“Together, we have demonstrated the power of community and compassion in providing comfort and dignity to those facing life’s most challenging moments,” she said.
“To us, this is not a campaign anymore, but a chance to spread love to the people around us.”
