National University Cancer Institute, Singapore to hold family carnival Nov 4-5; features Zumba session, games and educational talks

In commemoration of its 15th anniversary, the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) will hold a family carnival at Suntec City Atrium (Tower Three and Four). 

Titled NCIS Celebrates Life, the carnival will be open to the public from 10am to 6pm on Nov 4, and 10am to 5pm on Nov 5.

The carnival will be launched by Guest-of-Honour Ms Jane Ittogi, who chairs non-profit organisation Tasek Jurong that aims to “support and uplift the underserved, the underprivileged and the socially disadvantaged.”

Following a speech by Ms Jane Ittogi and a bell-ringing ceremony, there will be an acoustic guitar and singing performance by Ms Teo Poh Yin, a senior pharmacist at NCIS who has been freelance street busking since 2018.

The carnival will also feature the premiere of a new, specially-commissioned mobile game dubbed NCIS Fights Cancer. 

Participants in the game demonstration can stand to win prizes from Razer, a technology company that specialises in PC parts and gaming devices.

During the rest of the event’s two-day run, there will also be a public Zumba session, stage games led by an emcee, and the opening of game and food booths.

To participate in carnival games, attendees can donate $20 onsite and receive a coupon booklet in return. With the booklet, they can also redeem a goodie bag and create an instant photograph keepsake.

For those interested in cancer education and research, NCIS will also organise a series of talks and panels.

Event attendees can anticipate talks such as Expressing sexuality after my cancer journey: An aftermath by Ms Meera Karim.

She has previously been involved in educational NCIS content teaching the public to self-examine for breast cancer, and is a senior staff nurse under the oncology nursing division at NCIS.

READ: Six things youths should know about breast cancer

Other talks at the carnival will cover the benefits of exercise and diet improvements in fighting cancer.

There will also be a talk on Navigating cancer fatigue on the journey to recovery by NUH senior occupational therapist Ms Ong Jie Xin.

The event’s last talk will cover rehab as a lifelong approach to cancer, and will be hosted by NCIS advanced practice nurse Ms Carol Ho.  

Participants can also meet cancer survivors, who will share their experiences with the illness. 

Attendees are encouraged to leave messages of support for cancer patients and survivors as well as healthcare professionals at NCIS’s Tree of Life at the event.

For performance and event timings, interested attendees can refer to NCIS’s event website. 

Besides the carnival itself, NCIS encourages those interested in cancer education to attend the NCIS Winning Against Cancer Public Symposiums, also held at Suntec City on Nov 4. The event is a special edition of the Winning Against Cancer Public Symposium and will occur in conjunction with NCIS Celebrates Life. 

There, attendees can learn about advanced lung cancer screening and treatment, the significance of the brain, pancreatic cancer awareness, and about coping with cancer.