IN HONOUR of its former chairman, the late Mr Wee Kim Wee, the Goh Foundation has pledged $3 million to the National Cancer Centre.
The sum, to be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Government, is being used to set up a new research laboratory - the Wee Kim Wee Laboratory of Surgical Oncology.
It is the first such endowment made in memory of Singapore's fourth president, who died on May 2 from complications arising from a relapse of his prostate cancer. Mr Wee had also suffered from colon cancer.
Speaking on behalf of the foundation at a media conference to announce the donation, board member Tan Eng Liang said the contribution is to show appreciation of Mr Wee's 'good work and his hard-fought battle with cancer'.
The former president's eldest son, Mr Bill Wee, said at the event: 'My father suffered a long time from cancer, and had an innate fear of the disease, having seen friends and relatives succumb to it.
'The donation is to a worthy cause that will help others suffering from this illness.'
This is the second time the foundation is making a donation to the cancer centre.
It has helped mostly students in need of funds to complete their tertiary studies since it was set up in 1994 by philanthropist Goh Cheng Liang.
But in 1999, Mr Goh, who is chairman of Wuthelam Holdings, one of the biggest privately owned conglomerates in Asia, donated $10 million towards the construction of Singapore's premier cancer centre.
The foundation aims to expand its support to further medical research, especially in the area of cancer, as almost 30 per cent of deaths here are due to the disease.
Mr Goh has also promised he will make more contributions to the cancer centre, in conjunction with the new graduate medical school, for cancer research.
Part of his current contribution will be used to help set up a 200 sq m 'start-up laboratory' for cancer research. It will be ready by the end of this month.
Some of the endowment will go towards recruiting and supporting 15 researchers.
They will conduct clinical trials for common cancers of the liver and stomach, and explore ways to prevent cancer relapses, said the centre's director, Professor Soo Khee Chee.
'As the research is ultimately to benefit the man in the street,' added Prof Soo, who is also the chairman of the Goh Foundation, 'this pledge is a fitting tribute to our former president, who was a champion of the people.'