Caption: At the National Cancer Centre Singapore’s (NCCS) 25th Anniversary Charity Dinner 2025, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam witnessed the cheque presentation of $20.5 million raised in 2025 for the NCCS Cancer Fund. (From L to R: Mdm Ho Geok Choo, Chairperson of the NCCS Cancer Fund, part of SingHealth Fund, and NCC Research Fund; Mr Cheng Wai Keung, Chairman, SingHealth; President Tharman Shanmugaratnam; Professor Lim Soon Thye, CEO, National Cancer Centre Singapore; Professor Ng Wai Hoe, Group Chief Executive Officer, SingHealth)

• A transformational gift of $6 million by Prof Goh Hak Su to the Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Institute to build palliative care capacity and capability for future needs 
• A transformational gift of $4.5 million by the Verdant Foundation to boost NCCS’ in-house AI and machine learning capabilities for novel cancer drug discovery 
• Launch of new research institute announced with a $2.5 million gift to kickstart its population health research efforts 
• 4 major gifts of $1 million each for patient support programmes, digital health research; blood cancer and stem cell research; and research of colon, rectum, liver, stomach and pancreas cancers 
• NCCS marked its 25th anniversary with unveiling of special hybrid NCCS Orchid, launch of commemorative book and original music video ‘Hope’

Singapore, 28 September 2025 – The National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) held its 25th anniversary charity dinner at The Ritz Carlton, Millenia, Singapore, with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, gracing the occasion as the Guest of Honour. The charity dinner which marks the finale of NCCS’ silver anniversary celebrations, was attended by over 700 guests including donors, supporters and partners.

Boost for palliative and supportive care needs

The Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Institute (CGPCI), established to continue the legacy of the late palliative care pioneer Prof Cynthia Goh, was set up with a $6 million gift in 2023 from her husband Prof Goh Hak Su, family, friends and well-wishers. Prof Cynthia Goh was a visionary who dedicated her life to developing palliative care in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region. To address the growing need for supportive and palliative care, a second tranche of funding in the form of a transformational gift of $6 million from Prof Goh Hak Su, was announced at the event. The additional funding support will advance palliative care practice and care access in Singapore and the region and enable CGPCI to continue building much-needed palliative care capacity and capability to meet future needs.

Harnessing AI and machine learning to boost biodiversity research

“NCCS is proud to have served the nation for a quarter of a century with affordable, accessible and holistic cancer care. More Singaporeans are being diagnosed with cancer every day, so it is vital that we keep innovating to improve treatment outcomes and survival rates. With artificial intelligence (AI), the frontiers of cancer care are now moving faster than ever. Our goal is to harness the power of data science and AI, so that we can develop more targeted and personalised cancer treatments for our patients,’ said Professor Lim Soon Thye, Chief Executive Officer, NCCS. “We are deeply grateful to our donors and stakeholders for sharing our vision to offer all Singaporeans hope of a cancer-free tomorrow.”

A transformational gift of $4.5 million by the Verdant Foundation was announced to support a new cancer drug discovery facility at NCCS which harnesses local plant biodiversity and the latest AI and machine learning capabilities. In 2021, an earlier gift of $5 million from the Foundation was instrumental in the establishment of the Cheng Kin Ku Herbal Biodiversity and Medicine Programme under the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine, which has been generating new genomic and biochemical data related to plant biodiversity. When the new cancer drug discovery facility is ready, this invaluable data can be mined and analysed to develop novel therapies.

Advancing population health research to improve cancer care

In line with the national agenda to boost population health efforts, the establishment of the Research Institute for Cancer Prevention, Screening and Early Detection (RISE), was announced at the charity dinner. Co-led by NCCS and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, RISE will bring together clinicians and scientists from public healthcare clusters, medical schools and primary care providers to evaluate emerging technologies for cancer screening locally and internationally. The goal is to develop less invasive and more accurate screening tools, to detect cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage.

A generous gift of $2.5 million by Mr Prajna Murdaya, will kick start RISE’s population health research efforts. One of the key projects RISE will embark on is the evaluation of Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests. Currently, MCED tests are not included in national screening guidelines due to limited evidence on their clinical utility and cost-effectiveness. This project aims to evaluate and identify MCED tests that can be effectively integrated into national screening programmes, and data collected will provide policy makers with insights on the cost effectiveness and best practices to use MCED tests for the population.

Coming together for a cancer-free tomorrow

President Tharman also witnessed the presentation of four $1 million gifts that will support critical research programmes at NCCS to improve patient outcomes:

1. The New Century Foundation Limited’s gift will support innovations and digital health research that enhances cancer care delivery. 
2. The gift from Mr Tsai Eng Meng, Chairman, Want Want Group, will support blood cancer and stem cell research. 
3. The gift from a grateful family who wish to remain anonymous, will support research that focuses on improving the diagnosis and treatment of cancers of the colon, rectum, liver, stomach and pancreas. 
4. The gift from Mr Cheng Wai Keung will go towards advancing cancer treatment and patient support programmes

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, who co-organises the annual Run For Hope event, was honoured for its long-standing partnership with NCCS and fundraising support over the years. Community fundraising partners Petite Fleur and Fashion For Cancer were also recognised for their steadfast effort to raise funds for NCCS patient support programmes and cancer research.

Special hybrid NCCS orchid, commemorative book and original music video ‘Hope’ unveiled to mark 25th anniversary

To celebrate NCCS’ silver anniversary, a specially cultivated hybrid orchid named the ‘Papilionanda National Cancer Centre Singapore’ was unveiled by President Tharman. Sequenced and studied by the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine, the NCCS orchid with its vibrant bloom and enduring form, serves as a metaphor for hope, strength and healing for the cancer community. (See Annex for more info on the NCCS orchid)

The original music video ‘Hope’, featuring NCCS patients and staff premiered at the event. The song composed by local singer and songwriter Ms Amni Musfirah, highlights the close partnership between NCCS’ patients and healthcare teams, with lyrics reflecting the resilience and hope needed in the fight against cancer.

A specially produced 25th anniversary commemorative book titled ‘Our Story: A Beacon of Hope’ that chronicles NCCS’ growth and evolution through key milestones and stories of pioneers and staff, was presented to all guests at the event.

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For media queries, please contact:

Ms Lo Sok Wan
Corporate Communications
National Cancer Centre Singapore 
Email: lo.sok.wan@nccs.com.sg

Ms Cheryl Sng
Corporate Communications
National Cancer Centre Singapore 
Email: cheryl.sng.x.p@nccs.com.sg

About the National Cancer Centre Singapore

The National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) is a leading national and regional tertiary cancer centre dedicated to advancing cancer care, research and education. With a comprehensive suite of specialties and services, NCCS treats all cancers and offers personalised and multidisciplinary care to ensure that patients receive holistic, compassionate care and support. Advanced and innovative treatments such as proton therapy at the Goh Cheng Liang Proton Therapy Centre, immunotherapy, and cell therapy are available at NCCS to give patients the best treatment outcomes.

Ranked among the top cancer centres in Asia, NCCS is globally recognised for its research expertise, with clinicians and scientists collaborating with local and international partners to conduct cutting-edge clinical and translational research that makes a real impact and offers hope of a cancer-free tomorrow. As an academic healthcare institution, NCCS is committed to nurturing future generations by delivering specialised training to local and overseas oncology healthcare professionals. For more information, please visit www.nccs.com.sg.

Annex

The Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Institute (CGPCI)

The Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Institute (CGPCI), established to continue the legacy of the late Prof Cynthia Goh, was set up with a $6 million gift in 2023 from her husband Prof Goh Hak Su, family, friends and well-wishers. The late Prof Cynthia Goh was a pioneer and visionary who introduced palliative and hospice care to Singapore, and dedicated her life to developing palliative care in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region.

A second tranche of $6 million funding from Prof Goh Hak Su announced at the NCCS 25th Anniversary Charity Dinner in 2025 will further advance palliative care practice and care access in Singapore and the region, and enable CGPCI to continue building much-needed palliative care capacity and capability to meet future needs.

The overall goals of the CGPCI are to:

• Build palliative care capacity and capability in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region through training and establishing interprofessional educational programmes 
• Collaborate with partners to strengthen palliative care research and education 
• Drive palliative care research grounded in clinical practice, to address challenges of treatment efficacy, equitable distribution of care and cost effectiveness 
• Promote faculty development through international collaborations and establish Singapore as a centre of excellence for palliative care clinical expertise, training and research

Caption: 'Papilionanda National Cancer Centre Singapore', a specially cultivated hybrid orchid to commemorate NCCS' 25th anniversary

About the NCCS orchid

The Papilionanda National Cancer Centre Singapore, which was sequenced and studied by the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine (BD-MED) serves as a living symbol of the Centre’s commitment to advance cancer care, research, and education. Developed as part of a broader initiative to integrate nature and science, this orchid embodies the resilience, complexity, and beauty that is part of the human experience. The special hybrid’s vibrant bloom and enduring form serve as a metaphor for hope, strength and healing for the cancer community.