Media Releases
Project "Celebrate Wellness"
22 October 2009
Over a two-hour session, organised by Tote Board, on July 2 at the Lotus Room at Singapore Turf Club, more than 130 leading social and charity managers appreciated how they could get the best results from Outcome Frameworks.
TOTE Board and Singapore Turf Club are playing prominent roles in fighting breast cancer, the most common cancer that afflicts women in Singapore.
The incidence of breast cancer is about twice that of the next most common cancer in women, colorectal cancer.
Significantly, this year marks the 12th year of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Board approved a donation of $25 per screen (normal cost is $50) in support of the one-off Breast Cancer Screening Initiative (on top of its existing donation of $25 per screen under BreastScreen Singapore) to be held over two years from 2010.
The targeted take-up rate for this initiative is between 49,000 and 74,000 screens each year with the Board’s donation to the Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) capped at $3.8m.
To reaffirm the government’s support in the fight against breast cancer, the PAP Wings launched Project “Celebrate Wellness” on October 10, wherein Minister in Prime Minister’s Office Lim Hwee Hua praised the “further generous funding from our partner Tote Board” in offering a one-time substantially subsidised mammogram screening for women, who are 50 years and older and who have not been for screening before.
“This heavily subsidised screening is our gift to our women 50 and older to celebrate Singapore’s 50th year of self-government and our progress as a nation,” said Mrs Lim, who is also Second Minister for Finance and Transport.
The incidence rate of breast cancer increases significantly in women over 50. Early detection of breast cancer through regular screening mammograms can help save lives.
The launch of the national screening programme, BreastScreen Singapore, in 2002, saw screening made available at 16 polyclinics as well as via a mobile screening bus, which brings breast cancer screening to the door step of homes and workplaces.
Mrs Lim said eligible women would now be able to sign up for discounted mammograms at “Celebrate Wellness” roadshows, organised at community venues by PAP Wings (the acronym for Women Inspiring, Nurturing and Grooming Singaporeans) the Women’s Executive Committees from People’s Association, the Health Promotion Board and other community partners.
The roadshows will feature a slew of health and wellness-related activities such as mass workouts, programmes on mental well-being, culinary workshops and many other exciting activities.
Mrs Lim said: “Our women MPs, community leaders, activists and volunteers will lead the "fight" against breast cancer and step up efforts so that eventually as few women as possible need to die from breast cancer.”
Project “Celebrate Wellness” aims to rally women of different age groups, ethnic groups and backgrounds to make well-being the top priority in their lives.
*Photo shows Tote Board's Chief Executive, Mr Tan Soo Nan (second from right) at the launch of Project “Celebrate Wellness”. Guest-of-Honour was Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister in Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Transport (sixth from left).