Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh has partnered with The American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (AmCham Cambodia) to host a special fundraising event for Mercy Medical Centre on 12 August 2022. The money raised at the 'Let's Give Back!' event will be used to fund organised cervical cancer screening programmes for garment workers in Cambodia.
With proper screening, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. However, the sickness continues to cause devastation in Cambodia as the most prevalent cancer among women.
Due to a lack of organised cervical cancer screening programmes and national human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination policies, the disease causes over 1,000 annual deaths in Cambodia.
This year, AmCham has prioritised corporate social responsibility more than ever and is the first chamber in the region to do so.
"Corporate Social Responsibility and giving back to the country and community where we do best is now one of AmCham's highest core values," said Travis Mitchell, Executive Director at AmCham.
To improve the country's screening process for garment workers, Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh has joined forces with AmCham Cambodia to host a charity event in the hotel's ballroom, featuring free-flow soft and alcoholic drinks, gourmet canapés and live music. All proceeds will be donated to Cambodia's Mercy Medical Centre.
The funds will go toward cancer screenings and tests for garment factory workers. The drive is part of a broader goal to reach the estimated 500,000 women working in Cambodia's garment industry through a mobile testing programme that gets underway in November 2022.
The World Health Organisation and the Cambodian Ministry of Health have designated cervical cancer as the number one priority for prevention to eliminate cervical cancer deaths by 2030.
One cervical cancer test takes between five and 15 minutes and costs only USD 1 per person, while USD 150 will cover the costs of screening ten women. It is also possible to donate directly to Mercy Medical Centre.
"No woman should die of cervical cancer," said Herman Kemp, General Manager of Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh. "But the disease remains a huge problem in Cambodia, mainly due to a lack of knowledge."
"See and treat programmes like the government cervical cancer task force programme, in conjunction with public and private hospitals such as Uof P and MMCC, prevent cancer and save lives."
