Date: 18 July 2020

MEDIA RELEASE 

Singapore Cancer Society Expands Public Education and Outreach efforts with the First Virtual SCS Interschool Competition

• The fourth SCS Interschool Competition Finals held online amidst the COVID-19 situation 
• 119 Diploma and Undergraduate students from 9 local institutions participated in the fourth annual Singapore Cancer Society Interschool Competition

Singapore, 18 July, 2020: The fourth annual Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) Interschool Competition finals was held today virtually. The virtual event was officiated by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade & Industry, and Ministry of Education.

SCS garnered participation from 119 Diploma and Undergraduate students from 9 local institutions such as, Management Development Institute of Singapore, LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Nanyang Polytechnic, National University of Singapore, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore University of Social Sciences and Temasek Polytechnic.

“With growing cancer incidences in Singapore, SCS strives to upscale cancer outreach programmes (such as education & screening) and upstream cancer prevention work (healthy lifestyle, anti-tobacco and HPV vaccination). Partnering local institutions enables us to harness students’ creativity for effective cancer control programmes and creates a life-long impact on the future of community engagement. 

SCS will continue to expand public education and outreach efforts to instill knowledge and empower youths to step up and join SCS in the fight against cancer,” said Albert Ching, CEO, Singapore Cancer Society.

Since the inception of the Singapore Cancer Society Interschool Competition in 2017, the competition provides an opportunity for students to conceptualise and present campaigns on health issues pertaining to anti-tobacco and cancer. This year, SCS added an additional topic on ‘HPV and Cervical Cancer’ to the competition. Such initiatives provide an opportunity for students to develop campaigns on health issues relating to cancer and present their ideas to a panel of judges. Should their team be selected as the winning team, they will have an opportunity to execute their project with SCS. 

Anti-smoking 

Anti-smoking is the selected theme for Diploma students taking part in the competition. This campaign aims to bring greater awareness about the ill effects of smoking to the community. Smoking has been identified as one of the key causes of cancer.

According to the National Health Surveillance Survey, the top risk factor for lung cancer is the use of tobacco products such as smoking cigarettes which kills nearly 6 million people globally each year (of which 600,000 are non-smokers who die from the effects of second-hand smoke). The survey also stated that Singaporeans are starting to smoke at a younger age. 

This competition highlight the association between smoking and cancer and encourages youths to take charge and be a positive influence to their peers as ‘Smoke-free Ambassadors’; encouraging them to quit or not pick up smoking.

Hayley Lee, a student from Republic Polytechnic, is a member of the winning team from the SCS Inter-School competition 2019. She said, “Before the competition, smoking was a normal part of my everyday life as my father and some friends are smokers. I found it hard to get them to quit smoking which led to my initial thought that little could be done to push for a smoke-free society. But my perspective changed during the course of preparing for the competition as I realised that I can actually do more to help change the smoking culture in Singapore.”

For this topic, there were 45 individual submissions of posters and 14 team submission of films from the Diploma students. 

HPV and Cervical Cancer 

Cervical cancer is the 10th most common cancer among Singaporean women, and in 2013 to 2017, the ninth most common cause of cancer death. While Pap test and HPV test screening has been an effective measure in the early detection of cervical cancer, cervical cancer prevention can be prevented through HPV vaccination. 

Responding to the need for structured outreach and education, SCS launched a dedicated HPV Education and Immunisation Programme in 2018. This programme aims to raise greater awareness of cervical cancer prevention and to encourage girls aged 9-26 years to go for HPV vaccination.

To further expand the outreach to the youths, SCS introduced this topic into this year’s competition. There were a total of 4 individual poster submission and 4 team submission of films from the Undergraduate students. 

To view the full event:  https://www.facebook.com/sgcancersociety/videos/307801377032823 

The winners of the SCS Interschool Competition 2020 are: 

Diploma:

• (Solo) Overall winner: Li Hao from Nanyang Polytechnic 
• (Solo) People’s choice: Tasha Audrey from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

• (Team) Overall winner: Seak Zhen Tsing, Tan Kyra, Chow Tim Jun Melrone, Andy Hui Liuxing, Cho Jung Woo from LASALLE College of The Arts

• (Team) People’s choice: Syakir Aiman, Muhammad Firmann Bin Mochtar, Syed Ahmad Bin Syed Abdul Rahman, Muhammad NurHazim Bin Ngatimin, and Mikhail Audi from Republic Polytechnic

Degree:

• (Solo) Overall winner: Quek Xue Huan Clara from National University of Singapore 
• (Solo) People’s choice: Jin ying from LaSalle College of the Arts 
• (Team) Overall winner: Dian Hunafa, Andini Mahindira, and Richa Carensia from Management Development Institute of Singapore 
• (Team) People’s choice: Dian Hunafa, Andini Mahindira, and Richa Carensia from Management Development Institute of Singapore

The winning teams were chosen by the panel of judges, Adrian Wee (Founder / Creative Lead, FLAVA), Ampy Corpus (Associate Director, Spurwing Communications), Luo Xue Shi (Curator, Youth Change Makers), Chloe Neo (Managing director at OMD Singapore) Chris Cheah (Deputy Director at Health Promotion Board), Dr Ida Ismail-Pratt (Consultant, Division of Gynaecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, National University Hospital, and National University Cancer Institute, Singapore). Diploma and Undergraduate categories are awarded separately. All students who have submitted their entries will be given a certificate of participation. 

Following are the prize categories:

Diploma	Undergraduate
Team (Film) Overall winner: $1,500 Shopping vouchers People’s choice award: $500 Shopping vouchers Solo (Poster) Overall winner: $500 Shopping vouchers  People’s choice award: $300 Shopping vouchers	Team (Film) Overall winner: $1,500 Shopping vouchers People’s choice award: $500 Shopping vouchers Solo (Poster) Overall winner: $500 Shopping vouchers People’s choice award: $300 Shopping vouchers

About Singapore Cancer Society (www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg) Established in 1964, Singapore Cancer Society is a self-funded voluntary welfare organisation which provides patient care services to needy cancer patients through its welfare, hospice home care, cancer treatment subsidy and rehabilitation support programmes. In addition, the Society also provides free cancer screening services and promotes cancer awareness and prevention through its public education and community outreach programmes.

For more information, please contact: 

Kumudha Panneerchelvam (Ms)

Corporate Affairs Senior Exec

DID: 6436 5237

Mobile: 9819 6589

Email: kumudha_P@singaporecancersociety.org.sg

Celia Au (Ms)

Corporate Affairs Manager

DID: 6421 5801

Mobile: 9668 9465Email: celia_au@singaporecancersociety.org.sg