Speech by the Secretary for Health and Welfare,
Mrs Katherine Fok, at the
34th Annual General Meeting of the
Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society

Friday, December 12, 1997


Chairman and members of the society, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to be here with you again today to speak at the Annual General Meeting of the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society. This is a valuable occasion for us to reflect on the achievements made by the Society in the past year.

Since 1964, cancer has remained a leading cause of death in Hong Kong. Last year alone, it inflicted a heavy toll on the community claiming a total of about 10,000 lives, which is almost one third of all deaths. Despite the advances in medical technology and the discovery of different risk factors, the mystery of cancer has not been totally unveiled.

We know, however, that a healthy lifestyle can reduce the incidence of cancer and early detection is the key to effective treatment. Cancer education with focus on prevention and early detection is crucial in our efforts to combat the disease.

The Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society has made remarkable contributions in this area of cancer education. The Society's Cancer Research Laboratory has initiated numerous researches on the disease. The knowledge gained from these researches are disseminated to the community through media releases, talks, exhibitions and publications. The Society has made continuous efforts to promote public awareness of the importance and value of early detection and treatment. In addition to organising cancer education to the general public, the Society also provides cancer related training to health care professionals to enable them provide better care to cancer patients and their families.

Thanks to the continuous efforts of the Society and other organisations in promoting health education, the public are well aware of the ill-effects of tobacco products on the human body, and are supportive of our campaign to discourage smoking, including further restricting the advertising and sale of tobacco products and setting up more no-smoking areas. In June this year, we successfully moved amendments to the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, introducing a number of control measures. These measures will be implemented, by phases, starting in 1998.

While we will continue to explore new diagnostic techniques and treatment methods, we must recognise that modern medicine and advanced technology have their limits. When all the other attempts fail, hospice care offers the spiritual support needed for the terminally-ill cancer patients to live a peaceful and dignified life. I am glad to see that the Society, true to its pioneering spirit, has started a new service named "Cancer Comrades" for a group of recovered patients to visit different cancer patients, including the terminally-ill, and to offer support to the patient self-help groups.

Finally, I would like to express my special gratitude to the Society for its outstanding achievements over the past 34 years. With the joint efforts of you all, Hong Kong is not only a prosperous commercial city, but also a place of caring for the less fortunate, bringing consolation and new hopes to cancer patients and their beloved ones.

Thank you.