PETALING JAYA: BEACON International Specialist Centre (BISC) has joined hands with Majlis Perkhidmatan Masyarakat Sabah (MPMS) for a corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme in an effort to help less privileged patients who suffer from cancerous and non-cancerous tumours.
The programme provides a CyberKnife radiosurgery treatment by using a frameless precise robotic system based on radiation therapy.
BISC medical director Datuk Dr Ibrahim A. Wahid said the treatment provides a pain-free, non-surgical option for patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumours.
It also saves the patients from having to undergo invasive surgery which results in a long recovery time and procedure.
“It is convenient for the patients as they do not even have to be warded in the hospital. All they need to do is be present at the time of the treatment, and they are free to go back home afterwards, followed by check-ups with the doctor,” he said.
As of now, the oncologists have treated more than 1,000 cases using the CyberKnife technology.
Sabah Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid said that the programme is targeted at patients in Sabah.
“The specialists from BISC have held health talks on cancer for the people in Kota Kinabalu, on top of providing free consultations for cancer patients at the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in Kota Kinabalu to spread awareness of this programme.”
Jainab said BISC has allocated RM2 million for Sabah residents who are fighting cancer but were unable to be treated at a public hospital.
“Right now, only 10 per cent out of the RM2 million has been used, so there is still 90 per cent of the funds left to spend on potential patients who will be treated at BISC,” she added.
Patients who apply for the programme will have to meet the criteria in order to be granted a sponsorship or a subsidised fee.
Sijara Zahara Mokti, a patient who applied for the programme, is the first person to receive a 100 per cent sponsorship from this programme at a total cost of RM54,420.
Sijara, 45, who works as a teacher in Kudan, said she has been suffering from brain tumour since 2008.
“I am thankful to BISC and also MPMS for providing the CSR programme as it gives me a chance to get proper treatment.”
BISC is one of the few private hospitals to sponsor or subsidise the treatment cost for unprivileged patients.
The expenses, which include the treatment fee, airfare and accommodation charges, are jointly sponsored by BISC and MPMS.