KLSCM 2024: The Race is on for Charity

As professional and avid runners gear up for the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) 2024 – Malaysia’s biggest marathon and arguably the most popular in the region – records have already been broken before the October race, in more ways than one.

Some 42,000 runners have signed up for the race this year, breaking last year’s record of 40,000 participants. At more than 12,500, the number of Full Marathon participants is also the largest ever since KLSCM’s inception, or any full-distance road-running event in Malaysia, for that matter. The sign-ups for the Half Marathon, totalling 13,770, is a record-breaking number too.

KFC and Pizza Huts Launch Kita Fight COVID-19 and Terangi Ramadan Campaigns

QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd (QSR Brands), the leading food chain brand that operates KFC and Pizza Hut Malaysia is continuing the fight against COVID-19 with an additional Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. This effort aims to lighten the burden of many Malaysians who are affected by this pandemic including those in underserved communities who need daily necessities as well as medical frontliners who require specialised medical equipment.

Milo Breakfast Day 2018 Putrajaya

The  MILO® Malaysia Breakfast Day Run was the only run in Putrajaya I would willingly wake up at 5am and drive myself all the way there for a 5km run. For four consecutive years, I have been doing so. But this year, I opted to walk instead and ended walking the whole 5km with Elie, a first time Milo participant.

Watch the vlog below and count how many times Elie talked about her Pokemon Go. It was only due to our friendship that I did not leave her in the dust.  

Over two days, MILO® Malaysia Breakfast Day Run 2018 in Putrajaya saw a massive turnout of over 46,000 people who came to participate in a variety of activities designed to create awareness on the importance of a wholesome breakfast in a fun and engaging manner. 

Starbucks Works with Hope Worldwide MY to help post flood Penang

Starbucks Malaysia has teamed up with Hope Worldwide Malaysia (HOPEww), and Penang State Assemblyman for Kebun Bunga, YB Cheah Kah Peng’s officers to distribute coffee, tea, and bread to affected flood victims at Jalan Lumba Kuda in Bukit Gantang, Penang after the flood subsided.

Taylor's Jog For Hope 2016

To be honest, Taylor's Jog For Hope 2016 was the first run I've done since the Milo Breakfast Day in May. Now that was a long break from running and one I did not enjoy. However, I was happy with my pacing for the whole 10km despite the hilly Hartamas route.

The Taylor's Jog For Hope 2016 was the eight edition of the annual run organised by the students of the Taylor's College Sri Hartamas. And in case you didn't know, I am a proud alumni of Taylor's College and Taylor's University and was compelled to contribute towards a charitable cause championed through this run.

AirAsia introduces limited edition T-shirts to raise funds for MAKNA

AirAsia has produced #AirAsiaMAKNA t-shirts - a new, limited edition designed t-shirts to raise funds for the National Cancer Council of Malaysia (MAKNA), retailing at RM30 each. The t-shirts are available for males and females in adult and children sizes.

Designed and produced internally by AirAsia Allstars (employees), the t-shirts feature the iconic AirAsia Captain and cabin crew uniform, which carries the MAKNA logo and its tagline ‘A Meaning To Life’ at the back of the t-shirts; sending a message of positivity as part of the CSR campaign.

Luxury Ayurveda pampering at Spa Ceylon, Nu Sentral

Stress goes hand-in-hand with living and working in a city like Kuala Lumpur. So wouldn't be nice to be able to come home and find a spa-like treatment waiting for you at home?

Offering just that, the newly opened Spa Ceylon in NU Sentral KL lets shoppers bring home the spa treatment of their choice to help them pamper and de-stress the day away. All packed up in convenient elegant bottles or boxed, Spa Ceylon offers the natural well-being rituals derived from the royal treatment, rejuvenations and healing rituals of luxury Ayurveda though its variety of products and ranges suitable for the body, mind and soul.  

And when I say variety, I mean all 450 of it. 

An Indulging Charity at Indulge, TGV 1Utama

Now who says you can't treat yourself while doing some charity?

Taking the initiative to give back to charity, TGV in partnership with Omnicom Media Group have launched A Delicious Charity campagn in order to raise funds for PERTIWI Soup Kitchen and Fungates Superflow Foundation. 

From November 2014 to October 2015 (a whole year!), 12 different dishes will be featured each month, of which 5% of the 'dish of the month' will go to charity. The 12 dishes were selected and  made reality from the pages of the OMG Can Cook recipe book which only cost RM10.

In the coming months, here are some of the dishes you can expect to look forward to.

SCKL 2014: My First Half Marathon

Remember my earlier post in May announcing my intentions to attempt my first ever half marathon? (You can click here to read it)  Well, on 12 October 2014, I did it. My first 21KM of pure road running.

It was surreal arriving at the start 4am in the morning to accompany my mom the marathoner and watching the full marathoners flag off at 430am. As I waited for my turn to flag off, I could hear the emcees announcing the ongoing positions for the full marathon.

"Kenya, Kenya, Kenya, Kenya, Morocco, Kenya, Kenya, Kenya, Ethiopia... this sounds like a rap song."

At some point, I found a bootcamp friend and we positioned ourselves near the start to avoid the backlog but as a result, nearly suffocated myself from accumulated BO.  By the time we started, I was relieved for the space and 'fresh' air.

SCKLM: Run for a Reason and I am on TV!

Look, ma! I am on TV!

Thanks to Standard Chartered KL and Essence PR, I was invited to join Rainer Biemans from Dirigo Events, organiser of SCKLM and Elena Koshy from Malaysian Nature Society on Hello On Two, an afternoon segment of TV2. While Rainer spoke about the run itself, Elena shared about how MNS' cause and how SCKLM is contributing and helping them. And that was where I came in as a runner for SCKLM and MNS.

Standard Chartered Half Marathon 2014: Running for a Reason

I have a confession to make. Well, several actually. 
1) I wasn't going to sign up for the Standard Chartered run (taking place 12 October 2014) in the first place
2) I have never done a half marathon in my life
3) I don't really like running. I prefer obstacle races.
4) I am pretty sure I was doped up on cough mixture when I did sign up in the end.

My first half marathon was supposed to be at the Malaysian Women's Marathon run in March 2014 but due to the haze, I ended up cutting the distance by half for health sake. After that, the thought of having to retrain myself and go through the running part again grounded me to the lazy sofa once more. And my running shoes hasn't seen daylight since.

Then the Standard Chartered KL Marathon registration rolled up and everyone I know seemed to be joining it. It was THE race to run and my initial thought was 'pfft. I am not going to run in a sea of thousands of people in KL!" I joined the 10km last year and the heat nearly did me in. But somewhere along the line, I realized that if I was to complete my first full marathon next year, I had be able to run at least 21km and still walk back to the car after that.

Fight Arm-in-Arm Against Cancer

All my life, I have been quite fortunate to have never experienced losing a loved one to cancer and for that, I thank God. But I have seen (often from a distance) how drained mentally and physically the person becomes once inflicted with news of cancer. And that alone saddens me as I can only imagine how scary it must be to be face with such an obstacle.

A colleague at my previous work place had beaten cancer twice now and the second time she received news that her cancer had returned, she broke it to the team in a very sober moment in the office. She had debated over telling us and it wasn't an easy thing letting people in on your moment of weakness. But this lady was one of the strongest individuals I have ever met. She comforted us upon telling us the news that she won't be coming in for work for several months because of treatment and recovery. She assured us that she has done this dance before and she was confident that she could beat it again.

She did. Because she's amazingly tough.

I lost contact with this former colleague when she moved to the United States but she still comes to mind whenever I am in need of motivation or am in my mental pits. Because nothing else motivates you better than remembering the strength of someone who has faced all odds and survived.

Facing cancer can be scary but if you have a strong support network and positive surroundings then the struggle becomes less lonely. That's what AXA Affin hopes to achieve for cancer patients.

In collaboration with National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), AXA Affin is working to help cancer patients that are currently undergoing chemotherapy. For every blogger that blogs about their 110CancerCare website and their efforts to help care for cancer patients, one cancer patient gets funding from AXA Affin for their chemotherapy daycare usage. Basically, this blog post just helped one cancer patient get one-day funding for their daycare usage at NCSM Treatment Center! It's not much but if imagine if 10 bloggers were to take part in this campaign and from there 10 more bloggers were to do the same and so on, now that will make a difference!

For more information, log on to www.110cancercare.com.

If you are a blogger and would like to do your part in this campaign, please contact Danial at  danial.lissborg@lionandlion.com for more details on how you can make a difference to someone's life. 

Rent for Hope, SPCA

If someone is thinking of adopting a dog, I would always advice them to spend some time with that dog so that they can know the quirks of the animal first. Having experience as a dog owner is a plus but not all dogs are the same and first time owners should understand what having a dog entails to. 

This Saturday, 3 August, The Society For Prevention of Cruelty To Animals (SPCA) Selangor is organizing Rent for Hope where the public and potential dog-owners can get to know the dogs by playing and interact with the dogs with a donation of RM20 only. Rent for Hope lets you walk and play with a dog in the park for 20 minutes and in doing so, allows you a 'feel' of the joy of being a dog owner. I would know. I have four lovely adopted canines that I call my kiddies regardless of breed. 

Pet Project Malaysia 2013

Pet Project 2013 came and went just like that. I really wished it was a monthly event but I think all the volunteers, the organising commitee and founder Sabrina Saw will be dead tired on their feet if it were. You cannot imagine the amount of planning and preparation that went into pulling off this massive event all in the name of animal welfare and for that, I applaud the entire Pet Project team and the teachers and students of The British International School of KL. Well done, guys!

Only two years old, the event that brought together animal welfare and fitness was held on the 23 March 2013 at the British International School of KL and saw an estimate of over 1200 attendees by noon to participate in an array of fitness-oriented activities and workshop as well as to purchase food and items for a good cause. All proceeds raised in this event were donated to several animal welfare organizations and shelters.

Peace for Cupcakes

Take me home!

 SPCA and Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) held an adoption drive where several of their shelter puppies and kittens were adopted on the spot. Yay! While it was great having the younger ones taken into new homes and families, it was still heartbreaking to see the older animals still stuck in their cages with their pitiful gaze looking out for the person to whom they can devote all their love to.

Are you my new friend?

I am the owner of four beautiful and unique mix-breed dogs and xx number of cats (all adopted from the shelter and streets) and no word can describe how much joy and laughter they bring me everyday. They are the reason why I strongly stand for 'Adopt, Don't buy!'

The day's currency

 While I may not be able to adopt those up for adoption at Pet Project, I hope the little contribution I made by purchasing the coupons helped. Coupons were used on that day to buy entry into their assortment of workshops ranging from golf to basketball to yoga and finally to dance.

Be Urban Wellness booth

For those concerned about injuries or their individual fitness performance, Urban Wellness had a booth there where you get an expert to teach you on how to warm up properly and which part of your body to focus on to improve amongst other areas of expertise. They have a very impressive state of the art spa and treatment center in Clearwater, Damansara Heights which I highly recommend checking out. Trust me, I've seen the place and it made my jaw hit the ground. More info on Urban Wellness here.

Performance by the Chiqaz

Now, there was one event I was looking forward to and that was the Dance Masterclass with Tony Stone, choreographer for the King of Pop, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and Chris Brown to name a few. I have an undying passion of dance and to learn from the great man himself was really something I looked forward to for months. A huge supporter of animal welfare and everything charitable, Tony Stone held the class pro bono just like the previous year and we only had to pay RM30 (15 coupons) to take part in his class.

Coupon Burger!

 Mindful of the big group of participants this year, Tony conducted the class in an easy and fun manner that allowed everyone to pick up the moves with no problem. It didn't matter if you were a kid or an adult, klutzy or coordinated. What was important was that we all tried. His energy was infectious, his friendliness inviting. The supposedly one hour session became an hour and a half and we were burnt exhausted when it ended. I wonder how much calory I lost doing the routine repeatedly.

Tony Stone and I.

 To wrap up Pet Project 2013, I camwhored with Tony, something that amazed even the great man. To quote my friend and fellow blogger, Senri of Journey of the Little Biscuit, "Self-shot is more "heng" because asking other people to take was too mainstream."

Once again, hats off to the Pet Project team for pulling off this event and thank you for allowing me to help out in the only way I know how, through my blog. I hope to work with you guys again next year!

For more pictures, drop by my Facebook page here.

If you missed this event and want to find out more about animal welfare, just click on my 'Animals matter to me' page.

TTFN!

Pet Project is back!

Mark your calenders and prepare to "get active to help save animals" because Pet Project Malaysia is back!

At a recent press conference at City Golf, BSC, the organisers of Pet Project in association with Expatriate Lifestyle Magazine have officially announced the return of the event with a performance by Sabrina Saw's own little Chicka's followed by a quick golf session with one of their sponsors, City Golf.

Pet Project Malaysia press conference.

 Here are your need-to-know info!

What is Pet Project?

Project Malaysia was founded by Sabrina Saw who wanted to unite her love for dance and animals for a good cause. In 2012, Pet Project succeeded in raising RM23,000 through a series of activities consisting of dance, fitness and sports, which was donated to over nine animal welfare NGOs. Now in its second year, this event aims to raise awareness and funds for animal welfare within Malaysia which can only be achieved with the help of the public.

Sabrina Saw and her event partners

Sounds like fun! What activities will there be?

Pet Project Malaysia will be bringing in the top international and local dance, fitness and athletic names such as Tony Stone and Suzette Ackermann as well as various sport clinics and workshops for football, golf, rock climbing and other sports.

If you're into dancing (like me), then you don't want to miss this event and a chance to learn from Tony Stone himself. Here'a preview of what he'll be bringing to  the table.

But I don't do sports. What other activities will there be?

For those who aren't into getting down and dirty with sweat, don't worry! There will also be a carnival, shopping bazaar, auction, F&B, arts and crafts, animal welfare booths and many more things for you to see and do. So there are plenty of ways for you to spend your time and money for a good cause! NGOs will also be bringing a few animals for adoption so if you're thinking of adding a furkid to your family, do drop by!

Cool! So how much money do I need to bring?

A coupon system will be used at the event for everything. For example, a master class could range from 5-10 coupons per session while a rock climbing is 2 coupons per climb. Coupon books will be available for sale at RM50 per book on the day of the event.

All funds collected from coupon sales will be donated to participating NGOS. Alternatively, you can also drop by the NGO booths during the event to make a donation and to find out more on how you can help.

Okay, I am sold! When and Where?

Mark down these details:
Date: 23 March 2013, Saturday
Time: 9 - 6pm
Venue: The British International School of Kuala Lumpur

What can I do to sponsor or volunteer? 

As Pet Project Malaysia is a non-profit event, they are in need of sponsors and volunteers to help pull off this massive event. If you can help out, do contact them.

Where can I go for more info? 

Check out their website for more details by clicking on the image below!

Last question. Will you be there? 

Definitely! Look forward to seeing you there!

Malaysian Dogs Deserves Better XMas gathering

Justice the dog.

As we all know, animal welfare is not on the list of our current government's priorities. Lining their pockets with the citizens' hard earned cash is.  It's quite sad really seeing the state of stray cats and dogs on our streets. Well, dogs more than felines, often suffer the blunt of animal abuse from by us, 'self-proclaimed-evolved' humans. Beaten, kicked, abandoned, poisoned, run over - the life of a stray dog (or sometimes, even people-owned dogs) is no fairy tale especially in Malaysia.

Which is why I salute the efforts of Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB). I have been a huge supporter of their rescue work for a few years now. The beauty of MDDB came in the form of its ability to unite animal lovers in the Klang to take on rescue works and to remind the public that helping animals is not the job of one person but rather an entire community's.

Why hello there, human. Now feed me!

2012 has been an eventful year for MDDB's coordinators and rescuers and to thank all those who have helped and contributed in some way, either by rescuing, donation or adopting a dog from them, MDDB recently threw its maiden Christmas partly at Alt.Space, Jaya One! The event saw humans and dogs alike coming together in the spirit of Christmas to mingle amongst ones another.

Whisks for decorations at Alt.Space

I brought my dog, Shelly which was adopted from PAWS. He never went anywhere without my other two dogs so I thought this event would be a good chance for him to mingle outside of his pack and to get used to other people. Although initially timid at the start of the evening, he eventually warmed up to his surroundings and started prancing around like the happy little bugger that he is.

Shelly: Play with me, human!

Lord Porgi, moving around without aid.

The night's entertainment.

The highlight of the event was the 2013 MDDB calendar of disabled pooches that was on sale as a way to honour their disabled dogs and pups. The gathering also served as a way to show that dogs born with a disability or is disabled due to serious injuries can also function like an ordinary dog if given the proper and dedicated treatment and most importantly, undivided love and attention. In fact, several of the calendar dogs have been adopted into loving homes which is a great encouragement to MDDB.

MDDB merchandise for sale

The calendar is shot and created by professional photographer Carolyn Chon and producer/director Ng Swee Ling and is priced at only RM20. Alongside the calender, MDDB T-shirts were also available for purchase at the party. I bought a calender for my mom and a shirt for myself.

Shelly: Can we go home now?

For information on MDDB's work or products, visit the Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better Facebook. 

By the way, dog pictures, not easy to take. Believe me, I tried snap dog pictures at this event. Keyword: tried (and failed) So appreciate the work and effort that goes into making the calendar. 

Supercars for a Supercause

Do you like cars?

Are you a fan of movies like Fast and Furious?

Or games like Need for Speed?

Or shows like Top Gear?

Are you usually the one flooring the accelerator on the highway?

Do you know what RPM stands for?

Do you also like to help people in your own little way?

Or do you want to contribute and help but don't know how?

If you've answered YES to all, then have I got a treat for you!

Along with Supercar Charity Challenge (SCC), the Yayasan Orang Kurang Upaya Kelantan (YOKUK) is organising the YOKUK Supercar Rides 4Charity! YOKUK is an organisation for disabled children and adults and their aim is to raise RM200,000 in order to form a multi-discipline Palliative Care Unit to offer the right nursing and medical care for terminally ill adults and children in their homes or when needed. 
 
So help them achieve their target by grabbing this opportunity to ride in one of 40 super-freaking-cars at just RM100 per ride! Cars that will be lined for up for your view or riding pleasure are:  

Lamborghini Countach S

Lamborghini Diablo

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Stradale

Lamborghini Aventador

Aston Martin DB 9

Ferrari GTO

Ferrari 458

Porsche 997 GT3RS 4.0

 

But wait! At only RM150, you get to pick the car that you want to ride in! That can be a dream come true for you! Gosh, I am drooling just thinking about those cars... Evidently I answered 'yes' to all the questions above.

 

I am torn between the Ferrari and Aston Martin....first world problem much?

 

But wait! There's more!

If you are not a car enthusiast, fret not because there are other things to do and see (and buy) there as well!  

• An information booth by YOKUK about their services
• A makeover session by Kanebo Cosmetics Malaysia
• A photoshoot with Bugatti Veyron by Canon Marketing Malaysia
• Booths by various organisations with items for sale
• A comedy show by Comedy Kao Kao, and many more!

 

And the best part is, all proceeds of sales will go to YOKUK!

 

So mark the details below and come over for a va-va-zoom and exciting day white doing your part for a good cause!

Date: 7- 8 December

Time: 12noon onwards

Venue: White Box, MAP, Publika, Solaris Dutamas.

 

For further information, log on to www.yokuk.org or the SCC Fb page.

 

Hope to see you there!