Tanoto Foundation Donates to Rare Disease Fund in Singapore

Yes, a rare disease is rare because it affects fewer than one in 2,000 patients. However, 80 per cent of rare diseases have genetic origins and are present for the patient’s entire life. There are no treatments available for most rare diseases. For a few available effective treatments, these medicines are usually very expensive and have to be taken for the patient’s entire life.

In Singapore, around 2,000 – 3,000 people have a rare disease. Of these, 700 are children. Some medicine costs more than S$200,000 a year for each patient. This adds to the emotional stress and financial burden on patients and their families.

Aiming to lighten the burden, Tanoto Foundation has made a S$2 million donation to the Rare Disease Fund (RDF) in Singapore. With the Singapore Government matching S$3 for every dollar of public donation, it will boost the impact of this donation.

As part of our ongoing efforts in Singapore on health advocacy, medical research and development, and enhancement of the quality of life for patients and their caregivers, we hope to play our part with this donation.

Managed by the KKH Health Fund (part of the SingHealth Fund), the RDF provides a platform for the community and Government to come together to support patients with rare diseases over their lifetime. With the mission to give “Hope for a Lifetime”, the fund provides long-term financial support for patients with rare diseases requiring treatment with high cost medicines, as all the other avenues are not designed to support such large sums on a lifelong basis and are usually time-limited.

More information on the RDF is available at: https://www.kkh.com.sg/giving/Documents/Rare-Disease-Fund/index.html