BCSG JB celebrates milestone 20th Anniversary

 

This October, the Johor Bahru Breast Cancer Support Group (BCSG JB) marked its milestone 20^th anniversary with a fund-raising dinner in the theme, Let’s Celebrate, Let’s shine in Pink.

 

A meaningful and beautiful Candle Walk
marked the start of the Anniversary celebration

Over the years, I had the privilege to work closely with BCSG Advisor and past President, Mrs Doris Wee-Boo, so recently when she extended an invitation to join their anniversary celebration, I did not hesitate to accept.

 

I was familiar with the work of BCSG JB even before they moved into their current center at No. 12 Jalan Ru, Melodies Garden, Johor Bahru in 2014, and had the pleasure of joining them and sharing many encouraging stories about their outreach projects, roadshows and celebrations.

 

While this 20^th anniversary celebration will feature a programme with live entertainment like drama and dance as well as song and music presentations, I learnt that the funds raised would go specifically to BCSG members who were going through recurrence.

 

Music by violin soloist, Tan Guang Mei,
accompanied the Candle Walk

It was good to know that these funds would be channeled towards the transportation needs for members to go for treatments and to paying for screenings like Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography (CT) scans.

 

Witnessed by Guest-of-Honour, Johor Jaya assemblyman, YB Liow Cai Tung, who is also Executive Committee member for the Women, Family & Community Development portfolio, the celebration kicked off with a Candle Walk.

 

Led by BCSG JB President, Datin Ang Chin Fan and Doris Wee-Boo, followed by members of the BCSG Executive Committee, the symbolic Candle Walk into the event hall was to honour and remember loved ones who had lost the battle to cancer and as a sign of hope for those who were still living with cancer.

 

Lit candles were raised throughout the hall

It was both meaningful and beautiful as the Candle Walk was accompanied by live music played by talented violin soloist, Tan Guang Mei.

 

When the Chinese banquet dinner was served, the event continued with a Ribbon-Cutting and Gong-Sounding Ceremony by the Guest-of-Honour and other VIPs.

 

As guests enjoyed the sumptuous meal, they were entertained by a musical drama presented by a cast and choir that showcased the journey of three breast cancer survivors who met at the hospital and decided to visit the BCSG JB center.

 

Guest-of-Honour and VIPs in the
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

The drama depicted how they were introduced to the support system that was available at the center, which included counselling, make-overs, the Prosthetics and Brassieres Shop as well as various activities like handicrafts and a range of physical exercises.

 

This range of exercises was demonstrated by groups on stage to create awareness of how the center was helping members to be physically active in either or all of the dance and exercise activities.

 

Directed by Dr J P Lim, this musical drama combined acting with singing and dancing. With photos and videos screened on the LED screen as the backdrop, this little drama turned out to be both interesting and informative.

 

The BCSG JB Choir conducted by 
Music Teacher Wai Yin Ching
 

One of the scenes on the screen featured the Wellness Garden where the members worked with Yaw Yin Kin, a BCSG volunteer and keen gardener, who came to BCSG as a handy-man to help around the center.

 

While Yaw’s wife is a volunteer at the Prosthetics and Brassiere Shop in BCSG JB, Yaw eventually became the Captain of the Wellness Garden.

 

For the past three years, BCSG celebrated Pink October in partnership with Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast to raise funds for their Prosthetics and Brassiere project.

 

BCSG members working in the 
Wellness Garden at their center

When General Manager, Murray Aitken, learnt about the work in their Wellness Garden, he suggested that BCSG should come up with a recipe book that made use of the produce from their own garden.

 

Supported by GM Aitken, the hotel’s Executive Chef Halim Chek Lah generously contributed eight recipes to add into BCSG’s first recipe book titled, Flavours Of Our Garden.

 

The BCSG Choir who supported the drama in song, was conducted by Music Teacher, Wai Yin Ching of Southfront Music School while the Southfront Ensemble led by her daughter, Tan Guang Mei, brought the event’s performances to a whole new level.

 

We met again the next evening
at the Drums 2.0 show!

I happened to be seated next to Teacher Wai at the event and when she left the table (several times!) to conduct the choir, I could not help feeling amused at how we are connected in unexpected ways.

 

You see, Teacher Wai’s late husband, Tan Hooi Song, was a co-founder of the art of the 24 Festive Drums. Tan was then a Music Teacher with Johor Bahru’s Foon Yew High School when he and Tan Chai Puan, co-founded the 24 Festive Drums’ art of drumming in 1988.

 

Teacher Wai and Guang Mei are familiar me as I have documented the art of the 24 Festive Drums as a proudly Johor brand in My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now, and had presented a copy of this book to them.

 

We talked about the Drum Up JB! shows that happened in 2023 and were delighted to learn that we will also be going for the Drums 2.0 show in the evening of the next day. And that we should meet again there. [And we did!]

 

Chinese ink painting, Peace and Harmony, by
Belinda Ho-Foo raised more funds for BCSG JB

I liked that the musical drama showcased a very inclusive story because cancer can happen to people of every race and religion, both male and female. To illustrate this, the songs presented included familiar tunes easily identified as festive songs for Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas.

 

To raise more funds for the work of BCSG JB, Belinda Ho-Foo donated her Chinese ink painting titled, Peace and Harmony, for sale in a Blind Auction. After an exciting bidding session, the sum of RM27,000 was raised from the sale of this painting.

 

Music and dancing were very much part
of celebrations for BCSG members

For BCSG wellness warriors who are fighting the battle in their journey to wellness with the support of fellow members, there was indeed much to celebrate at this anniversary event with music and dancing.

 

It was truly a celebration that continued with spontaneous dancing to favourite tunes, not only on stage or in front of the stage but also on the aisles and beside the tables.

 

One of the BCSG JB Vice-Presidents, Salwana Mohd Dadiri, herself a survivor, succinctly summed up these sentiments in a poem she wrote in Malay titled, Kisah Kita.

 

“Berjuang melawan kanser

Bukan satu cerita yang direka

Bukan sudah direncana.

 

Namun kita percaya

Apa berlaku ada hikmatnya

Ada duka, ada indahnya

Ada tangisan, ada tertawanya.

 

Begitulah kami di BCSG JB

Tak kira bangsa, bersatu hati

Punya kasih sayang yang murni

Punya rasa cinta yang sejati

Saling membantu, saling memahami.

 

Kami berhimpun meraikan anniversary

Tanda kenangan pada yang telah pergi

Tanda sokongan pada yang masih disini

Teruslah berjuang, janganlah menyendiri

Marilah bersama kami di BCSG JB.”

 

A simple translation in English: Our Story

 

“Am fighting with cancer

Not a fabricated story

Not as planned.

 

Yet we believe

What happens has a lesson

There is sadness, there is beauty

There are tears, there is laughter.

 

That’s how we are at BCSG JB

Doesn’t matter what race, we’re united

Have a pure affection

Have a feeling of true love

Helping us to understand each other.

 

We gather to celebrate this anniversary

In memory of the dearly departed

In support to those who are still here

So keep on fighting, you are never alone

Come join us at BCSG JB.”

 

The center for the Johor Bahru, Breast Cancer Support Group is at No. 12 Jalan Ru, Taman Kebun Teh, 80250 Johor Baru, Johor.

 

For more info and updates, visit Facebook page for BCSG JB or Breast Cancer Support Group Johor Bahru.

Note: Photos are used courtesy of BCSG Johor Bahru

Message from BCSG JB President, Datin Ang Chin Fan, quoted below:

"I wanted to personally thank you for the beautifully written report on our Fund-Raising 20th Anniversary Dinner. Your detailed coverage captured the heart of the event perfectly, and the emotional, touching descriptions truly brought the evening to life. Your words highlighted the significance of the night and deeply resonated with everyone who attended. We are grateful for your thoughtful storytelling and the impact it will surely have on those who read it. 

Warm regards,

Chin Fan"