Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC) hosted a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Gala Dinner for survivors, donors, caregivers, doctors and supporting medical teams to celebrate over 900 successful bone marrow transplants performed in the hospital, for both adults and children. In 1999, SJMC was the first private hospital to perform an adult haematopoietic stem cell transplant in Malaysia and to date, it continues to achieve significant milestones with having the highest number of bone marrow transplant cases performed by a private hospital in the country.
The Gala Dinner held was a night filled with inspiring stories, heartfelt gratitude, and a commitment to future advancements. It was part of SJMC’s “Courage Over Cancer” series, honouring the resilience and strength of bone marrow transplant patients, their families, and the dedicated medical teams who make these life-saving procedures possible.
Bryan Lin, Chief Executive Officer of SJMC, highlighted the hospital’s journey and dedication to patient care. “Tonight, we are celebrating the incredible stories of how bone marrow transplant has bridged lives. SJMC takes pride in being a pioneer by introducing stem cell transplants through the establishment of our Blood Diseases Centre and Blood Bank. Prioritising our patients at the heart of care, we hope to continue this journey, celebrating courage and celebrating life.”
Uplifting stories took centre stage as panel discussions with both adult and paediatric BMT survivors and their doctors provided an intimate look at the personal journeys and triumphs of those who have undergone bone marrow transplants.
Eugene Yap, a 51-year-old patient treated by Dr Ng Soo Chin, Consultant Haematologist at SJMC, shared his moving story. Diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in 2016, Eugene experienced a relapse and underwent a haploidentical transplant with his half-matched brother. Reflecting on his journey, Eugene shared, “I am looking forward to catching up on the time lost with my family, going on a family trip, and looking forward to living life again”.
“While haploidentical bone marrow transplantation is a complex procedure, it offers a beacon of hope for patients who may not have a perfect match donor available. Advancements in medical technology and conditioning regimens have made it a viable and potentially life-saving option for a wider range of patients. It’s rewarding to witness the resilience of our patients as they undergo this transplant and emerge with a renewed chance at a healthy life,” expressed Dr Ng Soo Chin.
The brave, 8-year-old Mahiyaa Bala Jeganath, also took the stage with her mother, Lavaniyah Ganapathy and Dr Chan Lee Lee, Consultant Paediatrician & Paediatric Haematologist-Oncologist of SJMC. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia (ALL) in 2019 and was found to have the high-risk Philadelphia chromosome, requiring chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and an anti-cancer drug to achieve remission. After undergoing a bone marrow transplant from her 4-year-old brother, she now celebrates her one-year post-transplant mark. Reflecting on her experience, Mahiyaa remarked, “I went through many types of treatment in the past three years. Now, I feel brave that I’ve beat cancer”.
SJMC recognised three associations, namely the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), Faith Hope Love (FHL) Care Hospice Malaysia, and Childhood Cancer Association Malaysia (CCAM), in a mock cheque presentation. The funds will help the associations continue their work to provide critical support to underprivileged BMT and cancer patients. This gesture emphasised SJMC’s dedication to community support and corporate social responsibility.
SJMC’s advancements include the introduction of in-house Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, which allows for more accurate donor matching, thereby increasing the pool of compatible donors and improving transplant success rates.
To learn more about SJMC’s services, please visit https://subangjayamedicalcentre.com/
