80 musicians to perform and 8 to go bald in support of Childhood Cancer
An electic combination of eighty young and veteran artists will grace Waikiki PJ stage on Sunday 9th July to raise funds for children undergoing cancer treatment. The much talked about annual fundraiser, Bald, Bold & Beautiful will enter its 5th year with eight participants going bald in between performances. Among those joining the cause in going bald “live” at the event are Waikiki’s owner Tony Siew, ardent & repeat participants Shel Ling, Y C Ang, Dr Jean Teoh from Ipoh, Helen Sta Maria and Dr. Revathi Rajagopal, Paediatric Oncologist of University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). Also going bald for the first time are a couple known in the local entertainment scene, Amizan Ariffin & his wife Kyra Neng.
Scheduled to commence from 5pm sharp, the 8-hour non-stop live entertainment boasts of some seriously exciting acts, ranging from impressive young bands to stalwarts in the music industry. It will be a treat to see and feel the energy of so many young talented bands on one stage. They include the flamboyant musical pop group Fazz, Volatile from Penang, Billie Blue & The Nowhere Men, Battle Bloom, RYOT Jones and The Maha Jeffery Band. Joining them will be the highly popular Evelyn Feroza & Lethrio, Russell & The Rowdy Gentlemen, Hazel Leong & friends, Double Aze, Purple Haze, The Flerz, Debbie Su & Friends and Oyent Hazryl. There will be a special guest from Louisiana, Seth Roach who will share the stage with fellow local musicians. One can expect more surprises & special appearances by guest artists at the closing jam hosted by Joy Victor, 9 Lives & friends.
Funds for the evening are raised through proceeds from the 1st drink charge of Rm30 nett per person, a percentage of bar sales for the night, T-Shirt sales as well as last minute auctions and donations. Meanwhile those going bald or bold have already started the ball rolling by sourcing donations for their participation.
The event is organized annually by a fully voluntary group who call themselves Tribute To Kindness also known as TTK. TTK is a community of like minded friends, getting together to make a difference for those in crucial need of medical aid. A more focused objective was adopted in 2012 to support Childhood Cancer (the Gold Ribbon).
TTK started off organizing ad hoc events at Waikiki Club PJ from 2009. They have extended financial aid to specific causes i.e. Kirtarsh Orphanage and a number of musicians who were in critical need for medical attention. In 2012, TTK organized a family fiesta called “Share The Power of a Wish” and raised RM31,000 to fulfill the wishes of 60 terminally children at KLGH. That event was a defining moment for the group. They then decided to give cancer stricken children from less privileged family background a fighting chance at survival.
The maiden Bald & Beautiful took place in Feb 2013. For the first 2 years, funds were disbursed directly to 30 families who needed help for their childrens’ cancer treatment. Later in 2014, UMMC fully sanctioned TTK’s efforts which led to a formal collaboration between the two parties. The Heston Siew Tribute fund was established and parked at UMMC under the purview of a working committee. The committee comprises TTK’s founder Tony Siew, retired hotelier Judy Pow and artist Joy Victor, UMMC’s Paediatric Oncology and Social Services departments. The committee review cases of patients & families who are in dire need of financial help and by consensus, allocate funds to purchase chemo drugs and subsidize related treatment for the children undergoing treatment at the medical facility.
The annual fund raiser has since been renamed Bald, Bold & Beautiful to allow more flexibility for participation. Besides going bald, participants can opt to go bold i.e. change their hair color to go blond, pink or whatever color they fancy. Since coloring consumes time, participants are encouraged to do so prior to the event. Funds are raised through each participant who reaches out to their family & circle of friends for a minimum donation of RM1,000 for their participation.
TTK members & volunteers, participants and musicians are not remunerated in any way. What makes the event so popular is its transparency with 100% of donations and proceeds of the night going into the fund. The fund was inspired by the fighting spirit of Tony Siew’s son, Heston who at 8-months old in 2012 was diagnosed with AML. Today, Heston is in remission and the fund in his name fully supports childhood cancer.
Over RM620,000 have been raised by TTK from 2012 till 2016. To date, funds have been disbursed to a total of 79 children who have undergone or are undergoing cancer treatment. 30 were assisted directly and the remaining 49 were assisted via the Heston Siew Tribute Fund at UMMC.
In 2016, a much welcomed ripple effect took place with the Dance For Fund Society in Klang joining the fund raising efforts. Proceeds from their annual dinner and sponsors added a further boost of RM50,000 to the Heston Siew Tribute Fund. A major portion of this new fund was utilized to establish a halfway house which offers outstation patients much needed respite in between their treatments.
For more information on the event, check out the links below!
https://www.facebook.com/Tribute-To-Kindness-249295125199664/
