Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
Menu

Chief Executive Officer's Message

WilliamHwang.jpg

Welcome to the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), a national and regional specialty centre committed to the highest standard in research, education and clinical services, and patient care.

We are committed to being a global leading cancer centre by delivering the best patient care through having the best talents and best research. Since we took in our first patients in 1999, we have moved ahead by leaps and bounds to become a comprehensive cancer centre locally and in the region. We have succeeded in building strong medical and research teams. Many of our clinicians and scientists have contributed much towards building our brand at home and abroad. Their works have been published in internationally recognised high-impact factor medical and scientific journals. Our doctors have also won awards in their respective fields and often this resulted in their becoming sought-after speakers at international forums. They have also recently won the highly coveted Team Science award from the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR). This is a recognition of the high standards of their work.

All said, I believe it is not awards and recognitions that make all the difference. What matters is how we apply our signature strengths in our everyday work to provide the best patient experience.

Behind each patient encounter are multidisciplinary teams that meet for tumour board discussions to review all the complex cases to help decide on the use of the most appropriate and up to date diagnostic and treatment techniques for each individual patient. This is where we collectively put our minds together, share our opinions and decide on the best options for each case.

For those patients on the road to remission, we have set up very active support groups to journey with them and share their experiences. Here, they make new friends and many find strength by supporting each other as they move forward, with help from our psychosocial and nursing staff. We believe this is an integral part of the healing process.

Not every patient with cancer can be cured, but we can often help to prolong their lives. Regardless, we should always strive to relieve their symptoms and to provide them the mental, social and emotional support that they need. It has been said that we should strive to “cure sometimes, relieve often and comfort always.” In this age of many new paradigm changing cancer treatments, I believe we can now strive to “cure often, relieve always and comfort every single chance we get”!

To meet growing healthcare needs, we have moved into the new NCCS building which has increased capacity and expanded facilities dedicated to cancer care, rehabilitation, research and education. Designed with a patient-centric approach, the new NCCS has increased clinic space for multi-disciplinary cancer care and larger capacity to improve patient experience. It also offers patients access to advanced treatments such as proton therapy at the Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre. We believe that the new NCCS will serve as a beacon of hope, giving patients the best cancer care outcomes and support for their physical and emotional wellbeing.

While our dedicated staff have done much to help patients with cancer, we could not achieve so much if not for the generosity of the many philanthropists for their donations, corporate sponsors, well-wishers and volunteers who have readily rallied to our cause. We welcome support from all quarters and believe that the best way to beat cancer is for all of us, NCCS and the community, to work together.

We look forward to serving, collaborating and working with you.


Professor William Hwang
Chief Executive Officer
National Cancer Centre Singapore