Community & Charities
Medical and Health
Jockey Club walks hand in hand with cancer patients and their families through Trust-funded community programme
18/03/2016
Fighting cancer can be a tough and tiring journey for both patients and their families. Besides having to cope with the side-effects of treatment, cancer patients often face various emotional, family and financial challenges.
To provide one-stop support for those affected by cancer, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has made a donation of over HK$17 million to The Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society (HKACS) to implement a three-year ‘HKACS – Jockey Club “Walking Hand-in-Hand” Cancer Family Support Project’.
The three-year project provides sustained services to meet the needs of cancer patients and their families, helping cancer families live positive lives and enhancing their quality of life through outreach programmes. .
The programme is expected to serve nearly 4,000 cancer patients and their families, in addition to reaching another 100,000-plus people through various training programmes, telephone counselling services and public education activities to help raise awareness of cancer prevention.
Ms Wong, who has been attending gatherings held by HKACS and recently joined the HKACS – Jockey Club “Walking Hand-in-Hand” Cancer Family Support Project, was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2014. She explained that emotional support is crucial for patients, bringing them much needed relief. “I underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy after the operation. At that time I felt helpless and did not know how to deal with the sickness. But I did not talk about it with my family as I did not want them to worry. As for people around me who were not suffering the same sickness, I was afraid that they would not understand and feel annoyed at me for keeping on talking about it. But through the gatherings organised under this project, I can share my feelings with other patients, social workers and volunteers who have survived cancer. I feel a tremendous sense of release when I attend these meetings.”
Users of the service can visit the head office of HKACS on Hong Kong Island or the satellite clinic in Kwun Tong, which targets residents from both Kowloon and the New Territories, to obtain resources to help them along their cancer journey from diagnosis to treatment. Resources are also available for those who suffer relapse or need end-of-life support.
In addition, support is provided for children and young people whose parents or grandparents suffer from cancer, as well as carers. There are also special services to help cancer parents maintain their relationship with their partners. Meanwhile, a professional outreach team looks after the needs of 'hidden' patients, especially the elderly living in more isolated areas.
The project also benefits the community through care plans developed after home visits, as well as assessments and services to help alleviate physical and psychological problems. To build a strong support network for affected families, cancer survivors and caregivers are being recruited and trained to serve as volunteers to provide empathetic advice and peer support. The Social Work and Social Administration Department of the University of Hong Kong will evaluate the impact of the project.
