Having been treated for cancer, including six months of chemotherapy, being hospitalised at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) 20 times and being admitted to the accident and emergency department 11 times, I am thankful to those who helped raise money for the fight against cancer (More than $830,000 raised for fight against cancer; March 12).

We must fight cancer not only at the scientific research level, but also at the grassroots level by organising more support group meetings and resources to adequately provide for the mental and physical needs of those diagnosed with cancer.

Money is needed to make allied or medical careers within the cancer sphere - such as at the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore and oncology facilities - more attractive.

An advertising blitz can be carried out to promote such careers and quell any misconceptions that any medical work to do with cancer patients is like dealing with death or that of hospice care. I would not be alive if it were not for the nurses who administered chemotherapy to me at SGH's haematology centre.

As a cancer survivor, I feel it is important for us to invest every cent we can into making cancer screening compulsory, thereby relying on early detection as the cure for cancer's presence in Singapore.

Jeremy Cheong Weng Kee