Tham SuMing

Tham SuMing is the General Manager of Hospis Malaysia, a non-profit organisation that provides palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses. A graduate in banking and international finance from the University of London, she joined the Klang Valley-based non-profit in 2012, which launched her nearly decade-long service to the inter-disciplinary system in healthcare that’s to this day still greatly misunderstood.

Besides ensuring that the organisation’s coffers are adequately stocked to ensure they can provide patients a free home-care service, rehabilitation service and psychological support, a lot of Tham’s efforts go into demystifying palliative care, a practice many associate with care for the dying. Tham educates people about the actual focus of palliative care, which is to improve patients’ quality of life.

She is also involved in advocacy work for patients’ rights to ethical and humane treatment, and works with policy makers to realise their vision of making palliative care accessible to all in need.