A charity program was launched on Sunday in this eastern China municipality to help thousands of cancer patients.

Sponsored by a local club for cancer patients and a health education center, the "Green Valley Sunshine" program aims to promote anti-cancer awareness among the patients and to help them fight the disease.

All patients registered in the program will receive free counseling from experienced doctors in major Shanghai-based hospitals and will be able to contact fellow patients to rebuild their confidence in life.

The program has won support from all sectors of society. The Shanghai-based Green Valley Group, a pharmaceutical enterprise, has donated 1.1 million yuan (132,500 U.S. dollars) in cash in addition to some medicines. Some 100 volunteers, including college students, relatives of cancer sufferers and ordinary citizens, have pledged to join in the program to help the patients.

Over 2,000 cancer patients, all members of the municipal cancer recuperation club, gave a series of art performances during Sunday's launching ceremony to express their love for life and health.

Shanghai has about 100,000 cancer patients. Sustained medical and psychological treatment is critical for their recovery, said a manager of the club.

The club is a non-governmental organization with over 5,000 members, all of whom are cancer patients.

( Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2002 )