From left: Elaene Loo, Dr Agnes Heng, Dr Lee and Dato’ Ratti launching DermaHope with the mascots “Skin Warrior” (far left) and “Skin Hero” (far right)
UTAR Bachelor of Communication (Honours) Public Relations (PR) students extended their helping hands in a concerted effort to enhance the Malaysian healthcare system towards skin disease patients. “DermaHope”, an ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project organised by 32 PR students (Group 1 of UTAR PR CSR Project 2023), was launched on 31 March 2023 at UTAR Heritage Hall Building.
With a common goal, the group behind DermaHope joined hands with Malaysian Skin Foundation (MSF) to achieve greater heights in aiding skin disease patients with difficulty accessing skin care and treatment. Guided by Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS) lecturer Diong Fong Wei, DermaHope aims to promote the Malaysian Skin Foundation (MSF) to the general public as well as increase public awareness towards the issues of unmet healthcare and sociological needs of individuals who suffer from skin diseases.
Dr Lee expressing her joy for the collaboration with MSF
FAS Dean Dr Lee Lai Meng, who was representing UTAR President Ir Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat, was proud to witness the passions of DermaHope members and MSF. She enthused, “As a university, we are committed to making positive impacts on the world around us. This time, it is indeed our pleasure to have MSF, a non-governmental organisation founded by the leading dermatologists of Malaysia, as a partner in such a meaningful CSR project, aiming to benefit the community at large. We recognise our responsibility to promote health and well-being, not just within our campus but also in the wider community.”
Dr Agnes Heng explaining the issues faced by skin disease patients in Malaysia
In her remarks, MSF Chairperson Dr Agnes Heng Yoke Hui said, “MSF envisions a Malaysia where everyone has access to quality health care and is unburdened by skin diseases. There is a rise in the number of skin diseases, and it is a significant public health concern. Yet, skin diseases are often perceived as a common and non-life-threatening disease, hence little emphasis is placed on them by policymakers. Although new medications are available, they are very costly and thus not accessible to a wide segment of the population. Due to this, MSF aims to improve treatment access, promote education and create awareness, and support research and dermatology in enhancing quality and standard of care.”
Elaene Loo conveying DermaHope’s passion and experience to participants
Project Director of DermaHope Elaene Loo said, “What sets our campaign apart from the past CSR projects is that we are the first project in our campus’ history to focus exclusively on skin disease patients, a group of people who are often overlooked. Our team is truly passionate on raising awareness of people about skin diseases and making a difference in the lives of those who need skin care and treatment. We believe that our efforts will make a significant impact in their lives.”
She also expressed her gratitude to MSF and UTAR for giving the group an opportunity to learn new skills. She said, “Throughout the endeavour, we have acquired a wide range of hard and soft skills. We gained expertise in critical fundraising techniques, multimedia production, and roadshow planning and execution. Undoubtedly, these skills will prove invaluable as we progress in our personal and professional lives.”
A video, showcasing their extensive preparations for the project, was specifically prepared and shown by the project members to commemorate their endeavour during the journey. Though packaged in a light-hearted tone, their burning passion for the cause was crystal clear as everyone watched.
DermaHope was launched by MSF Board of Trustees Member Dato’ Dr Sushil Kumar Ratti Satiapal, Dr Agnes Heng, Dr Lee and Elaene Loo.
Tokens of appreciation were presented to Dr Agnes Heng, Dr Lee and the representatives of sponsors for their support.
From left: Elaene Loo presenting a token of appreciation to Dr Agnes Heng, witnessed by Dr Lee (second from right) and Dato’ Ratti
The Head of Department of Programme Department of DermaHope, Ong Chun Qi, who was delighted to be able to meet Dr Agnes Heng and Dato’ Ratti, said, “We are extremely happy to see the top dermatologists in Malaysia at our event. We have been preparing for the soft launch ceremony for the past three weeks with the aim of introducing the collaboration between UTAR and MSF. We hope the participants gained great insights into skin diseases.”
The Head of Department of Public Relations and Monitoring Department of DermaHope, Leong Yin Xuan learned the procedure to organise a soft launch. She enthused, “This type of event brings benefits to us, PR students, as we are able to gain connection and knowledge with the professionals in the medical field. The Q&A session was very interactive and fun. We get to interact with dermatologists and ask questions about skin. The experience of this event will definitely benefit me in my future participation in event planning.”
Clement Soo Jia Shing, a participant as well as a student of Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) Entrepreneurship in his third semester, learned the severity of skin diseases during the soft launch ceremony. He commented, “Attending this event was a great opportunity for me to expand my knowledge on skin diseases. I found the event to be informative and engaging, especially the Q&A session. I was able to ask questions directly to experts in dermatology. I was surprised to learn that skin disease is such a severe problem in Malaysia. It has made me realise the need for solutions to address this issue.”
The ceremony ended with an interactive Q&A session and a group photography session.
The Q&A session in progress
Third row: Dr Lee (third from left), Dato’ Ratti, Dr Agnes Heng, Elaene Loo, representative of Liew Kee (Ah Lek) Chee Cheong Fun Alywn Sow Kah Lok, UTAR PR CSR Project 2023 Project Advisor Diong Fong Wei, members of DermaHope, UTAR staff and students smile for a photograph at the end of the ceremony
Prior to the soft launch ceremony, the group embarked on a series of roadshows to multiple districts of Malaysia to spread awareness of MSF and skin diseases, including Kampar, Perak; Georgetown, Penang; Sitiawan, Perak; Ipoh, Perak; and Taiping, Perak. During the roadshows, more than 50 street interviews were conducted and the interviewees’ responses were largely supportive. They will continue the momentum to other districts in the coming weeks, including Teluk Intan, Perak; Cheras, Kuala Lumpur; Puchong, Kuala Lumpur, and Sunway City, Kuala Lumpur.
Apart from the roadshows, they will also organise educational talk sessions to spread information on skin diseases. The invited speaker is a Dermatologist of Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun Dr Leong Wei Cheng. The talks, titled “Skin Problems and Care”, will be held at UTAR A003, Heritage Hall Building (17 April 2023, 9 a.m.) and Kampung Baru, Sungai Durian, Tanjung Tualang (17 April 2023, 2 p.m.).
The funds for the project were raised through selling food and drinks. The fundraising booths were set up at the cafeteria of UTAR Student Pavilion I. Furthermore, the project was sponsored by Liew Kee (Ah Lek) Chee Cheong Fun, Songkhla Thai Seafood Restaurant, Keng Choon Coffee Sdn Bhd (Kopi Cap Arnab), and Juz Do Eat Cafe.
The Grand Launch and Charity Dinner of Malaysian Skin Foundation will be held at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral (29 April 2023, 5.30 p.m.). The charity dinner aims to raise funds for MSF to aid skin disease patients through Patient Assistance Programme (PAP), a subsidy scheme aiming to defray the cost of treatment.
For more information on the ticket purchase, please contact the secretariat of MSF via telephone (03-89960700; 03-89961700; 03-89962700).
About Malaysian Skin Foundation (MSF)
Malaysian Skin Foundation (MSF) is a non-profit organisation founded by a group of concerned dermatologists with the intention to raise the standard of care for patients suffering from skin diseases. It was officially incorporated on 7 April 2022 upon approval from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister under section 45(3) Companies Act 2016. Being a nascent organisation, the immediate task is to introduce the foundation to the general public and raise awareness of the negative psychosocial impact of skin diseases on affected individuals by establishing a subsidy programme to improve treatment access. This initiative, therefore, will be heavily dependent on public funding to function and continue.
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