By: Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports
At 7.00 pm at the Arts House
Mrs Grace Ban
Managing Director of Estee Lauder Companies,
Mrs Arsat Selvam
Vice President, Breast Cancer Foundation
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Evening.
It is my pleasure to be here this evening to witness a very special illumination of The Arts House.
This is indeed a special occasion as it is quite unusual to illuminate a building in brilliant pink. So I hope the public can see from the colour that this is no ordinary light-up. We are here to celebrate the triumph of breast cancer survivors and to share the pain of those who suffer from the dreaded disease. We are also here to raise the awareness of those who need to go for early detection so that they will not suffer the same.
Breast cancer rates have increased by about 25% since ten years ago. Every year, some 1,300 women in Singapore are diagnosed with the disease, adding to the growing population of breast cancer patients.
Women play a key role in our society. At home, we know that many families cannot function well without a woman. In times of crises, women often provide the courage and strength needed to hold the family together. Hence, when a woman is struck by cancer, the impact on her loved ones can be devastating. I have seen how cancer ravages the lives of individuals and their families. It is painful and disabling. For their loved ones, it is equally traumatic and heart-wrenching.
The illumination of The Arts House is symbolic. And I hope it can help save the lives of many of our friends and family members because of the awareness that this illumination raises. I hope also that this symbolic gesture can help ease the pain of those who are suffering by highlighting to them that they and their families are not alone in their journey and in their fight against the disease.
As a symbol in the fight against the disease, The Art House is indeed the right choice. It was Singapore's Parliament House until 1999. It was in this building, in the original Parliamentary Debating Chamber, where landmark bills such as The Women's Charter of 1961 were passed. Hence, I am glad that this building has now joined a list of many historic buildings and landmarks in over 50 countries to be recognized as an ''ambassador'' in raising breast cancer awareness and to provide a beacon of hope to those in search of a cure one day.
I would like to compliment The Estee Lauder Companies for organizing the Global Illuminations since 2000 and to thank The Arts House for supporting Breast Cancer Foundation in making this illumination possible.
Thank you.
MCYS SPEECH NO: 54/2008
DATE OF ISSUE: 04/10/2008