• PRESS RELEASE: Karen Leung Foundation celebrates 5th Anniversary with inaugural luncheon event

PRESS RELEASE: Karen Leung Foundation celebrates 5th Anniversary with inaugural luncheon event

Press

Posted on 26 October, 2018

PRESS RELEASE

Karen Leung Foundation celebrates 5th Anniversary with inaugural luncheon event

  • HPV immunisation seminar follows recent policy address in which Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced the launch of an HPV vaccination programme in Hong Kong
  • Speaker representatives from Cigna Hong Kong, ISF Academy and OT&P Healthcare shared their views on how gynaecological cancer prevention can be improved and the role the private sector can play
  • Proceeds from event to fund a new technology platform to transform KLF’s existing programs, connect pivotal partners and increase community reach to foster vaccine and screening uptake

 

October 25, 2018 (Hong Kong) – The Karen Leung Foundation, the first and only organisation in Hong Kong solely devoted to women's gynaecological cancers, today hosted an inaugural educational and fundraising luncheon event in Hong Kong. More than 70 stakeholders from the business, education, local government and healthcare communities gathered to discuss the city’s latest gynecological cancer prevention initiatives, with a panel of distinguished experts from the healthcare sector, insurance industry and academia leading the agenda.  

Highlights of the discussion, which was moderated by Jodi Schneider, International Senior Editor Bloomberg News, included:

  • The role of academia and parent bodies to support health-literacy and encourage vaccine uptake

  • Views of Hong Kong’s private medical practices and physicians on the barriers for low vaccine and screening uptake and how they see their role evolving to support cancer prevention

  • How technology can potentially transform accessibility, uptake rates and convenience in relation to cancer prevention initiatives

  • The benefits of vaccination programmes and enhanced prevention from the perspective of private healthcare providers and insurers

The event marks the 5th Anniversary of the Karen Leung Foundation, which was established to honour the life of Karen Leung, a hedge fund trader, who died at the age of 35 following a diagnosis of metastatic cervical cancer. To date the Foundation has raised over HKD $18 million to honour Karen’s last wishes.

With the money raised from today’s event, the Karen Leung Foundation aims to develop a MedTech platform to further enhance its existing school-based vaccination program as well as screening initiatives. The online platform seeks to provide eligible women advice and guidance on the merits of HPV vaccination for cervical cancer prevention, and will connect the user with relevant medical service providers from the private and public sector, enabling users to e-book preventative methods immediately, use e-recording for vaccination and screening dates and receive subsequent alerts for repeat visits. To expand its school-based vaccination program to private schools, the platform will also feature a parent oriented information section as well as the option of e-consent.

To date the Foundation has touched the lives of over 50,000 women, girls and their family members directly and indirectly through providing free vaccination, screening and education programs. Additionally the KLF has funded over 12,000 hours of care and treatment for women with late stage gyneacological cancer.

Foundation Executive Director Katharina Reimer said, “We wish to thank all of our generous event partners, individual supporters, speakers and attendees for making this first inaugural educational luncheon event a huge success.

“I would also like to thank Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s for her encouraging letter about our event following her recent policy address that she as the first female leader of HKSAR has the responsibility to do more to promote women's health and development. We are heartened and encouraged by the enormous showing of support, and vow to continue our important and urgent mission of providing education and prevention of cervical cancers in Hong Kong together with the Government, which will start introducing free HPV vaccination to school girls of particular age groups, as a public health strategy for prevention of cervical cancer, as early as next school year."

For more information about the Karen Leung Foundation, please visit: http://www.karenleungfoundation.org/

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Katharina Reimer                                                              

Karen Leung Foundation                                                   

Katharina.Reimer@karenleungfoundation.org                     

+852 2847 7765                                                               

 

About the Karen Leung Foundation:

The Karen Leung Foundation (KLF) www.karenleungfoundation.org is working to save lives in Hong Kong by raising awareness of gynaecological cancer, educating women to increase rates of early detection and ensuring that women in treatment have access to optimal medical care. Founded in 2013, we are the first and only organisation in Hong Kong solely devoted to women's gynaecological cancers. To date, the Karen Leung Foundation has raised more than HK$18 Million to fight gynaecological cancer and help Hong Kong girls and women. The Karen Leung Foundation honours the memory of Karen Leung, a hedge fund trader, who died at age 35 following a diagnosis of metastatic cervical cancer.