CapitaLand donates S$250,000 to National Arthritis Foundation Singapore to support juvenile arthritis treatment
Singapore, 11 November 2017 – CapitaLand, through its philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF) has donated S$250,000 to the National Arthritis Foundation Singapore (NAF). President of the Republic of Singapore Halimah Yacob was the guest-of-honour who officiated the cheque presentation ceremony at NAF’s charity gala dinner last evening.
The donation will go towards the CapitaLand-NAF Juvenile Arthritis Fund that will support the treatment for about 40 children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) from low-income families, over the next four years. A portion of the fund will also aid in raising public awareness of JIA and facilitate early detection of the disease. NAF will also organise a ‘JIA Day’ on the 2 December 2017, inviting doctors to share more about the disease and help families better understand the disease and how to care for their child.
Mr James Koh, Director at CapitaLand Hope Foundation, said: “We believe each child has the potential for greatness within them, which if nurtured and built upon, can bring significant value to future societies. Supporting the healthcare needs of underprivileged children is therefore one of the key focus of CapitaLand Hope Foundation. The CapitaLand-NAF Juvenile Arthritis Fund was first established in 2011 with a donation of S$100,000 from CHF and it has been used to subsidise treatment for children aged between 6 and 14. With the new injection of S$250,000 into the Fund this year, more children will gain access to treatment which will enable them to lead a normal life and go on to pursue their aspirations.”
Mr Lim Ming Yan, President & Group Chief Executive Officer of CapitaLand Limited and Director of CapitaLand Hope Foundation, said: “CapitaLand recognises that the long-term success of our business is closely intertwined with the health and prosperity of the communities we operate in. The focus on our credo “Building People. Building Communities”, has led us to form strong alliances with the non-profit sector to benefit our shared community. We are pleased to expand our partnership with the National Arthritis Foundation to benefit more children in need. It reaffirms CapitaLand’s belief that corporates can play an important role in contributing towards the building of an inclusive and caring society.”
Associate Professor Lau Tang Ching, Chairman, National Arthritis Foundation said: “Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis is a debilitating disease but with early detection and access to the right treatment, these children can lead normal and healthy lives. NAF strives to provide financial assistance and education to help these patients and their families to manage the disease, and CapitaLand has been a valuable ally in enabling us to meet these goals. The CapitaLand-NAF Juvenile Arthritis Fund has been integral in helping our beneficiaries and we are pleased to continue this partnership to assist more children in need in the future."
“We believe each child has the potential for greatness within them, which if nurtured and built upon, can bring significant value to future societies"
JIA is the term used to describe various types of chronic arthritis in children under the age of 16 years. It is a disease of the immune system that affects multiple joints in the body, causing pain, stiffness and swelling in the affected joint. JIA affects over 400 children in Singapore[1].When undetected, children who fail to receive treatment can experience physical disabilities like joint deformity and disfigurement. Living in chronic pain can also result in depression and loss of confidence.
To effectively treat patients who fail to respond to conventional forms of treatments, a group of drugs called biologic agents[2] are employed to control the disease. Administered through injections, these treatments may cost up to S$30,000 per annum, per child. Early diagnosis and proper treatment have proven to significantly improve the lives of the young patients and enable them to lead a normal life.
CapitaLand was recently recognised as a Champion of Good by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre for being an exemplary leader and multiplier of corporate giving in Singapore. Going beyond donations associated with charitable giving, the CHF also focuses on giving time and attention to the children beneficiaries through advocating volunteerism.
[1] National Arthritis Foundation www.naf.org.sg
[2] Biologics, or biological agents block harmful responses from the body’s immune system that lead to the symptoms of JIA.