~GRAZIE's News/Article

13th June, 2008 –New Strait Times

KOTA KINABALU: Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun hoped to see more smart partnerships between the National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM) Sabah Branch and Rotary Clubs to complement government efforts in assisting non-governmental organizations.

“Since NASAM Sabah was set up two years ago, the number of stroke patients seeking therapy and rehabilitation there had increased and this shows the association is assisting the people in need of help,” she said at the launch of an extended space for the MASAM centre here yesterday. NASAM Sabah is occupying the Sabah Girl Guides Association building.

Its interim chairperson Jasminah Ali said rehabilitation within the first 24 hours after the occurrence of stroke was vital for a patient’s path to recovery.

“It is also encouraging to note that more and more people are now aware that NASAM is in Sabah,” she said.

The extended space for therapy was contributed by the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu , Top Enterprise Sdn Bhd and Hua Syn Glass Aluminium Contractor Sdn Bhd.

Jasminah said Shangrila’s Tanjung Aru Resort also donated some exercise equipment.

Meanwhile, she said NASAM Sabah and Grazie Restaurant would be jointly organizing a fund raising event.

Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu president James Jupinon said the club has in the last 56 years undertaken many projects and helped set up a number of welfare organisations namely Sabah Society for the Blind in 1966, Sabah Mental Health Association (1974), Sabah Society for the Deaf (1975), Sabah Cancer Society (1983), Sabah Senior Citizen Association (1985) and Sabah Thalassaemia Society (1994)