Sun Hung Kai Properties : SHKP-Kwoks' Foundation supports national study group in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia project Improving survival rates through collaborative research and advanced overseas technology

In line with the Building Homes with Heart philosophy, the SHKP-Kwoks' Foundation (the Foundation) established by Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP) has always spared no effort in nurturing the younger generation. In addition to promoting educational development, the Foundation plans to expand its charity contributions to even wider areas. Recently, the Foundation has been focusing its financial support on a national study group project concerning childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in order to improve survival rates of diagnosed children in China. SHKP-Kwoks' Foundation Executive Director Amy Kwok, VIVA China Chairwoman Jennifer Yeo and Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation Acting Secretary General Jia Yong signed the donation agreement at a ceremony held in Shanghai, which was also attended by the project's executive body, Shanghai Children's Medical Centre Tang Jing-yan and other guests.

SHKP-Kwoks' Foundation Executive Director Amy Kwok said: 'The Foundation adheres to the 'Building Homes with Heart' philosophy first set out by the late T.S. Kwok which inculcated a sense of caring for and repaying the community, such as through charitable supports of the country's medical projects. Childhood leukemia is a critical illness that can cause enormous pain and financial burden for patients and their families. Every year, about 14,000 children in the country are newly diagnosed with leukemia. The Foundation decided to support this national study group project in the hope of improving the speed, effectiveness and accuracy of information obtainment for better medical treatments.'

The sponsored 'National Study Group Project in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia' is a project under the 'VIVA China Children's Cancer Foundation', established jointly by VIVA China Children's Cancer Foundation and the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation. This project supports national study group in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia throughout the country, with the aim of elevating the cure rate from the current 40-60% to above 90%.

This is the country's first national study group in childhood leukemia with multi-centre randomized, controlled trial clinical project. This collaboration among 20 hospitals throughout the country, including Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, has obtained about 5,000 patients' clinical information over three years. Under the guidance of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, U.S.A., an international children's oncology authority, the project undertook standard clinical research work on childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the country. Through obtaining information and samples from 20 hospitals on a sharing platform, it is hoped that the survival rate of childhood leukemia in the country will improve.

The person-in-charge of the project, Shanghai Children's Medical Centre Professor Tang Jing-yan, shared the project's mission, goals and development at the donation ceremony. She said that as of June 2018, the three-year survival rate and three-year event-free survival rate of the 4,955 diagnosed children participating in the project are at an impressive levels of 93.8% and 85.9% respectively.

VIVA China Chairwoman Jennifer Yeo expressed her gratitude for the generosity of SHKP Chairman Mr. Raymond Kwok and the Foundation, as well as the support from the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation. She noted that VIVA China was established in 2014, and the 'National study group in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Project' is the first collaboration by the three parties. She looks forward to continuing their efforts for diagnosed children and increasing their survival rate.

Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation Acting Secretary General Jia Yong was grateful for the enthusiastic support of charity donations from different parties. The Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation, with a team of professional managers and executives, is an effective, compliant and transparent charity organization. Following Ms. Soong Ching Ling's philanthropic spirit, it supports different projects in the areas of education, culture, health and medical research as well as community sustainability. He hopes this collaboration will bring harmony to society.