38 Curtin Sarawak students and staff go bald

Miri – 18 April 2013 – The recent Miri launch of the annual Go Bald campaign in support of the Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society held at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) received considerable support from the university’s staff and students.

Close to 200 students and staff turned up for the event, which included a satellite shave, at the university’s Harry Perkins Lecture Theatre. 38 students and staff took the plunge and had their heads shaved in a show of support for children with cancer in Sarawak. A further 60 students and staff collected pledge cards to help collect donations for the SCCS.

It was the first time the Go Bald campaign was launched at an institution of higher learning. The event was jointly organised by SCCS representatives in Miri led by SCCS Outstation Liaison Jocelyn Hee and Curtin Sarawak’s Corporate Communications Department. Lending a hand as volunteers were members of various student clubs of the university.

Of the 38 who went bald, two were girls. Ngiam Loke Ming, 21, from the School of Business said she had her head shaved not just to show her support for children with cancer, but also encourage more donations towards the cause.

Alvina Wong, also 21, from the School of Engineering and Science remarked that the children needed more than monetary support.

“The public needs to give them moral support as well. I hope that when they see people like us shaving our heads, it would encourage them to stay strong in fighting the disease knowing that we are with them,” said Wong.

In his welcoming speech during the event, Curtin Sarawak’s Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Ian Kerr said that although the university is formally supporting Go Bald for the first time this year, it will certainly not be the last. Students and staff have on an individual basis been actively supporting Go Bald in Miri since its inception in 2009.

“At Curtin Sarawak, we believe in supporting our community in any way we can, taking into consideration the interests of the community, and adopting an intensely hands-on philosophy when it comes to community engagement. We believe that donations of time, facilities and services are just as important as writing cheques,” he said, adding that the university was already look forward to supporting next year’s campaign.

Jocelyn Hee, in her speech, thanked the students and staff for their outstanding support of the Go Bald 5.0 campaign.

“The participation of Curtin Sarawak’s students and staff as volunteers in our previous campaigns encouraged SCCS to choose the university as this year’s launch venue. At the same time, we want to promote the fight against childhood cancer among the younger generation such as yourselves,” she said.

Hee added that the Go Bald 5.0 main event at Bintang Megamall on 12 May 2013 is expected to attract the participation of a large number of Mirians as well as supporters from neighbouring Brunei and Bintulu.

Through the Go Bald campaign, the SCCS raises funds to support rural families affected by childhood cancer and assist patients in seeking treatment at the Sarawak General Hospital, the only medical facility in Sarawak equipped to treat cancer patients.

The SCCS helps the patients’ families find suitable housing, secure new jobs or sign up at new schools in Kuching while the patients undergo treatment there.

For more information on the Go Bald 5.0 campaign, visit www.sccs.org.my.

Professor Kerr (7th left), Jocelyn Hee (8th left), staff and students of Curtin Sarawak and representatives of SCCS pledging their support for the event.

Ngiam Loke Ming getting her head shaved.

Some of the staff and students who went bald gather for a group photo.