It's A Man's Work

Mr. David Fong rallies support for Breast Cancer Foundation, a charity that is rooted in looking after women's health and well-being

- Marc Almagro

Mr. David Fong, the first male general manager of the Breast Cancer Foundation of Singapore in its 21-year history, is unfazed by the distinction. “I’m a husband, a father, a son and a brother. It makes sense for me to look after the well-being of the women in my life — all of whom I love very much. My work at BCF is an extension of my personal concerns.”

Mr. Fong is at the forefront of enlisting support for the various activities of BCF, which he describes as “basically, advocating for good self-care among women.” Although it is centered on living a healthy and balanced life, it extends to being aware of one’s own health signs. “An important part of that good self-care is breast examination, which women can perform on themselves by feeling their breasts for lumps, or with the help of a doctor if they suspect something is not right, all the way to getting those lumps examined for cancer cells,” he says, adding that although lumps in the breasts can be benign, a biopsy is an important pre-emptive procedure. “Of course, a mammogram is a must for women who are 40 years old and above.”

The thinking behind these practices, Mr. Fong emphasizes, is simple: Early detection of cancer increases the chances of survival to up to 90 percent.

“A major part of the work we do at BCF is education and awareness campaigns. Every year, we have a Pink Ribbon Walk through which we gather the community. It’s to show solidarity with breast cancer patients and survivors, and to honor those who have passed on because of it. It’s also an important awarenessraising activity. Breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer among women; we have to raise awareness of it in order to catch it at an early stage.”