KFSYSCC at 35: Same Mission, New Horizons
Cancer became Taiwan’s leading cause of death in 1982. To meet that challenge, Senior Statesman K. T. Li called for a specialty cancer hospital, and the Ho Hsin corporate group provided seed funding. On April 14, 1990, the Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center (KFSYSCC) opened as Taiwan’s first dedicated cancer facility, pledged to “treat every patient as well as science allows and keep pushing survival higher.”
A Record of Patient-Centered Results
From day one KFSYSCC organized care around the patient instead of the department. Twenty multidisciplinary disease teams now guide each case from diagnosis through psychosocial support—“whole-person, whole-family, whole-journey, whole-spectrum” care. The payoff is clear: the hospital’s overall five-year survival rate has climbed from 55 percent in 1990 to 74 percent today—17 points above the national average. For every 100 patients, 17 more are alive at five years when they are treated here.
Patients Remain the Stars
A hospital exists for patients; KFSYSCC’s staff never forgets it. Recovery brings caregivers both pride and purpose. To honor that bond, the first anniversary event—the 35th-Year Celebration on March 14, 2025—invites cancer survivors of twenty years or more to “come home” and celebrate past progress, current strength, and future goals.
Looking Ahead: Pairing Medical and Educational Innovation
Excellence never stands still. KFSYSCC believes tomorrow’s breakthroughs will come from advanced technology and bold education. Partnering with the Andrew T. Huang Foundation for Medical Education, the center will host “Future Healthcare & Medical Education,” an international conference set for March 15–16, 2025—day one at the Sheraton Grand Taipei, day two on campus. Headliners include former Harvard Medical School dean Harvey Fineberg, MD and former White House health adviser Ezekiel Emanuel, MD. The focus: training a new generation of clinicians for genomic medicine, AI-driven diagnostics, and global-health threats.