Let's make a difference!

The Story

Hi this is Jacqueline Siow. I am a graduate of Master's of Public Health where my focus is toward non-communicable diseases (NCDs) prevention and raising awareness of healthy lifestyle for low-middle income countries. I am currently a freelance writer, who is passionate about helping the community to prevent disease and to remain in optimum health. In addition, I am also a fundraiser volunteer for National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Malaysia, where I love to make the public aware concerning the need for the support to those who suffer from chronic kidney diseases (CKD). At the same time, I would like to explore together with the community what are the ways to maintain healthy kidneys.

Recently, I have read some articles that are related to kidney diseases. I started to be aware of the challenges as well as the financial burden of having kidney disease in my home country, Malaysia. The following are some facts that I would like to highlight:

• CKD is a life-long and costly condition. In Malaysia, patients with CKD has been rising for the past 20 years.
• According to the researchers, in 2020, the estimation of new dialysis patients in Malaysia will be 10,208 cases, and by 2040 that number will increase to 19,418 cases. This increase is mainly due to the rise of the aging population as well as the rapid increase of other co-morbidities, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension in the middle age group.
• Based on the previous local study, the cost for each dialysis patient was estimated to be RM30,000 per year.
• With this in view, the NKF Malaysia are expecting a shortfall of RM26.5 million (approximately USD 63,000,00) in 2020.

Throughout many years, NKF Malaysia has been subsidized the dialysis cost for patients so that they can have a better quality of life while living with CKD. I have been made aware of this need and would like to grasp this opportunity to be a volunteer to raise funds for this campaign. The funds that are raised will be used directly to help patients in need and people who are at risk for kidney disease. I know that my capacity is very limited, this is why I encourage you to also participate in this fundraising campaign. I believe that if we do this together, we can make an incredible difference even with just a little amount of donations.

The above video is a little clip about the Starfish Story. If you have not heard about this, it is a story about a little boy throwing a starfish back into the ocean. Despite being disparaged by an old man, he picked up another starfish, then threw it back to the ocean and said, “it makes a different to that one.” The old man was impressed by the little boy's action, and the old man started to join him throwing starfish back to the ocean.

The take away message for this story is this: Though it may be to us a small and insignificant action, however, what we do could carry a significant meaning to someone else and could have an incredible impact to their lives. No action is too small when it comes to doing good for others in need. So let’s join me in throwing the starfish back into the ocean today!

Thank you!