Students from the LEO Club of INTI International University invited their campus community to write messages of encouragement for children with cancer, hoping the handwritten notes would offer some comfort during treatment.
(From left) Daryl, Jay and Anastasia with fellow members of the LEO Club of INTI International University at the Childhood Cancer Awareness booth during the LEO Community Impact Carnival on 6 October 2026.
The Childhood Cancer Awareness booth was part of the LEO Community Impact Carnival, held at the Tan Yew Sing Multi-Purpose Hall, INTI International University, on 6 October 2026. Organised by the club’s student-run Board of Directors, the event brought students, staff and visitors together to participate in activities supporting several community causes.
These included a blood donation drive, diabetes and vision screenings, eco-friendly tote bag painting, youth relationship awareness and a humanitarian charity sale. At the disaster preparedness booth, certified first aider Daryl Jun Rong Wilkins, a second-semester Foundation in Science student, shared basic emergency response knowledge, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), to help visitors feel more confident about responding when someone needs help.
The message campaign offered another way for visitors to contribute. They were invited to write words of support that the club plans to post on its social media platforms and give to a hospital to share with patients. Through these two methods, members hope to reach children receiving treatment in hospital and those at home.
For Junior Blessed Chigwaza, known as Jay, a fifth-semester Bachelor of Biotechnology (Hons) student, the intention was to help young patients feel less alone.
A LEO Club member speaks with visitors at the Childhood Cancer Awareness booth. Visitors were invited to write messages that the club plans to share on social media and give to a hospital for patients to read.
“I believe these notes are a way for us to express our care, encouragement and support. I hope that when they read our messages, they can feel the sincerity behind our words and know that there are people who care about them,” he said.
Understanding what children might need also meant learning about their experiences. Anastasia Tee Chia Ann, a second-semester Foundation in Science student, said researching childhood cancer helped her recognise how much of a child’s everyday life could be disrupted by treatment.
“I came to understand that it is not just about dealing with the illness and its treatment, but also about missing out on many experiences that other children their age get to enjoy, such as going to school, spending time with their friends and taking part in everyday activities,” she said.
The students also hoped to address misconceptions about childhood cancer, particularly the belief that parents are to blame for a child’s diagnosis. Their awareness efforts encouraged the community to consider what families were facing and respond with empathy rather than judgement.
According to the American Cancer Society, the exact cause of cancer in most children is unknown, and most childhood cancers cannot be prevented. Its guidance explains that parents and children likely could have done nothing to prevent the illness.
The LEO Club’s support for children with cancer also includes hospital visits, during which members spend time with young patients. The message campaign gives the wider campus community another way to support young patients.
The LEO Club’s childhood cancer awareness initiative highlighted how treatment can disrupt a child’s schooling, friendships and everyday routines, encouraging greater understanding of young patients’ experiences.
Anastasia hoped the children would remember that there were people they could turn to when they felt lonely. Jay also wanted them to feel comfortable asking for support.
“Most importantly, I want them to know that they do not have to face these challenges on their own and that reaching out for help and support is always a positive step,” he said.