The on-going BMW Malaysian Open 2011 today spread its influence and reach for a good cause as Francesca Schiavone, along with Ayumi Morita, Shuko Aoyama and Chan Chin Wei took time off their busy schedules to support a good cause, ‘The Power Over Cervical Cancer (POCC) – Helping To Protect Every Woman’.
which is an integrated communications campaign on Cervical Cancer Education and Awareness, by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM).
At the NCSM’s headquarters, the players met with the NCSM’s management and staff who run an invaluable service for women in helping and aiding women to discuss with their healthcare professionals (HCPs), on medical problems and issues while seeking protection against cervical cancer with pap smears and vaccinations.
Group photo - tennis players with celebrities and NCSM management and staff
The players were also taken on a tour of the NCSM’s headquarters and facilities, as they met and mingled with cancer survivors, current patients undergoing treatment and medical consultation, as well as local celebrity ambassadors who champion NCSM’s causes and activities, such as Sarimah Ibrahim, Genevieve Sambhy, and the Chong sisters Vanessa and Pamela.
Schiavone with a young patient
Schiavone, who turned up at NCSM despite nursing an injury picked up during yesterday’s match, said, “I am passionate about charitable causes such as NCSM’s POCC campaign as back in Italy, I have friends who are both cancer patients and doctors who treat cancer patients. Off and on, every couple of months I go to a big private hospital near my home and stay there for as long as I can to lend my support and help out in whatever way that I can, as it is a great experience and I will continue to do so as long as I can.”
(Images by Carbon Media Management)