The Foundation Today
The Foundation's main objectives are to supplement the services provided by the Hospital Authority, to help doctors increase survival rates, and to enhance the quality of life of all children suffering from cancer, in caring for their physical, psychological and social well-being.
The Foundation serves child cancer patients in the public hospitals, particularly Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Prince of Wales, Princess Margaret and Tuen Mun hospitals where these patients receive comprehensive medical care. Where necessary, certain aspects of our services are also extended to patients in private hospitals.
In November 1993, the Foundation's first Family Service Centre opened in Wong Tai Sin to provide patient support, which includes medical, psychological, financial, social, informational, educational, developmental, and any other necessary support, as well as research.
The Foundation places great emphasis on the psychosocial well-being of the child cancer patients and their families. To this end, the Family Service Centre provides a base for important psychosocial patient service programmes in the areas of counselling, playwork, palliative home care, long-term follow-up care, financial and social support, and education. The Foundation's professional team now comprises: a clinical psychologist, a centre-in-charge, four family counsellors, a hospital play co-ordinator, three hospital play specialists, an education and development co-ordinator and a welfare worker.
In addition, the Foundation also operates and funds medical support programmes in the areas of paediatric bone marrow transplantation, half-way homes, medical equipment, training and education, and research.
The Foundation is not subvented by the government, neither is it sponsored by the Community Chest or Jockey Club. It has received overwhelming support in the past years in the form of public, private, and corporate donations, thus enabling it to continue its ongoing services and initiate the specific objectives outlined in the Service Programme.
