For the first time, the centre acknowledged these key figures who laid the foundation for the fight against cancer, by honouring them with awards.

President S R Nathan presented the awards in a special ceremony at the Orchard Hotel yesterday evening.

Professor Soo Khee Chee, director of the National Cancer Centre, described the four men as the 'catalysts who transformed the cause against cancer from just text on paper into the National Cancer Centre of today'.

The five-year-old centre at Singapore General Hospital handles 70 per cent of all cancer cases here.

It needs at least $2-3 million a year to support its educational and research programmes.

And each year, it receives $8 million from the Government and gets another $7 million from donations and philanthropic contributions, said Prof Soo.

Dr Kwa had mooted the idea in the late 1980s of setting up national medical centres in Singapore by 1999 when he was permanent secretary of the Health Ministry and director of medical services.

He believed such centres would allow scientists and doctors to work together for a deeper understanding of medical science.

Planning for the National Cancer Centre began in 1992.

Yesterday, Dr Kwa, 72, said: 'I have been retired for so long, I never expected something like this. I am indeed grateful.

'This was work done in the 1980s when we pioneered the idea of national centres as part of many other centres in Singapore.'

He was proud of the world-class work done at the relatively young centre and added: 'This augurs well for the centre and for Singapore.'

Providing the funds to turn the idea into a reality was businessman Goh Cheng Liang, 77, chairman of Wuthelam Holdings and Liang Court Holdings.

His $10 million donation started the building fund for the $80 million centre.

The eight-storey centre, which opened in July 1999, offers comprehensive one-stop treatment for cancer patients.

It houses not only clinics, offices and wards, but also the research laboratories.

Dr Charles Toh, who was then chairman of the National Medical Research Council, was the driving force in starting the research programme at the centre.

Now 71, Dr Toh runs a cardiology clinic in private practice.

His vision was praised by Prof Soo. 'We needed someone who believed in our cause, someone who understood the value of research and the benefits it could bring to society. That someone came from within our medical profession.

'Dr Toh gave NCC the seed money to start our research programme. What we are able to harvest today is because we had Dr Toh who planted the first seeds on that barren ground.'

The centre has conducted ground-breaking research in cancer therapies and stem-cell research.

Strongly pushing public education in cancer prevention, early diagnosis and advocating for better disease management was Dr Yeo Ning Hong.

Dr Yeo, who is chairman of the Totalisator Board, helped provide the major sponsorship for cancer education and prevention programmes.

Yesterday evening also marked the official launch of FirstLight Singapore, a public education and fund-raising arm of the centre, which has raised $1 million so far this year.