Dr. Helen Lasimbang, a recent recipient of Village Relief Foundation donations, is a remarkable, energetic woman committed to preventative health care for her indigenous women of rural Borneo.  Helen coordinates the Penampang Paps Project of Mercy Malaysia Sabah (PPP-MMS), a pilot project for cervical cancer control.  As Helen explains, “The Pap smear is an extremely important test. It has been proven that mortality from cervical cancer decreases following a well-run testing program. Throughout Malaysia, about 10% of eligible women have been screened, but in rural Sabah, the number is far less. My goal is to test enough women to raise the level in Sabah to at least the national average.”

Since October, 2002, Helen and her team have flown to hundreds of remote riverside villages to provide free hygiene and nutrition workshops to the entire village, as well as education and medical exams for women aged 25-49.  The health workers conduct a general examination and provide treatment for those with complaints, as well as provide de-worming services, take pap smears and yeast tests, and measure blood pressure and blood sugar—all for free.

By February 2004, Helen and PPP-MMS provided health services to over 2500 villagers, and conducted over 900 Pap smears.  She is well on her way to realizing her goals.

Another unique aspect of PPP-MMS is Helen’s pioneering approach, coordinating professionals from a diversity of backgrounds. “We’re creating a model for health service delivery that coordinates governmental, political, professional and non-governmental organizations,” Helen says.